Youths in the Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have staged a protest over what they described as more than 25 years of electricity blackout, declaring that there would be no electoral activities in the area until power is restored.

The protesters, who marched in large numbers, lamented that despite Afikpo producing high-ranking political office holders, including the deputy governor, federal and state lawmakers, local government officials, and commissioners, the area has remained without electricity.

Speaking on behalf of the Odinma Afikpo group, Mr. Charles Otu, a journalist and social activist, said elected representatives from the area must be held accountable, stressing that constructive criticism should not be misconstrued as negativity.

“We want Afikpo Light restored. That was after over a decade. Nothing changed. In 2019, we were promised by then Governor Umahi that before the 2019 elections, Afikpo Light would be restored.

“A five-man committee was set up, made up of Afikpo sons and daughters. To date, nothing has happened. In 2022, again, this agitation came through social media: we want Afikpo light restored.

“From 2022 till now, nothing has changed. The last episode was in 2024, when this same agitation started on Facebook. That was when a famous coinage of Agui, where a bold young man spoke and said the elected people should go to wherever this electricity is having problems and fix it. We have a 133 KV substation in Amasiri. They have been working on that substation since 2001.

“Somebody born in 2001 till now is 25 years old. The person is ready to become a mother if she’s a woman. If he’s a boy, he’s done with the university and he’s now asking for employment.

“Why is it difficult to energize the African substation? The governor of Ebonyi state, Mr. Francis Nwifuru, has intervened in this matter. Gave 208 million. In 2024, they told us, they said, “Look,”

“It won’t take us three months. It won’t take us three months. And this light will be restored. That was where we were in 2024. This is 2026. Two years after what has happened to our people. That’s why we came,” Otu said.

The protest, however, was not without internal tensions, as some community stakeholders were accused of attempting to discourage the agitation, describing it as unnecessary criticism.

“They told us they had a general assembly. And they said they don’t want people to write. We were waiting for the elders to come out plain and tell us what they meant.

“What did you say? It’s criticism. Is it for me, a lawmaker, asking me, a journalist, why he made an event about Afikpo electricity where he represents me and he has been in the House of Representatives for 12 years? Is that what you call criticism? If that is what Afikpo has called criticism today, I am saying that it is not criticism. And I am saying that as a journalist, even if they say they are placing a fine of 100,000 for those who write,

“It is not going to affect me. I am a journalist, and I will not be stopped. I am not going to stop talking about it; I have talked about development issues in Ebonyi for 15 years. Those who know me very well know that in 2011, since my practice, right from Ebonyi Voice till now, you are my colleagues and should bear witness to me. I have always stood for developmental journalism. What will bring development? Is our world developed in darkness? The answer is no,” he said.

Another protest leader, Mr. Iheukwumere Okogwu Otu said the demonstration was aimed at sensitizing leaders to their responsibilities, emphasizing that criticism is an essential part of governance.

“Like, these are people. And it is not a new story that for over two decades, we’ve not had steady lights. And the bulk of this criticism is because of this lack of electricity. A boy, a girl, or a child that is up to 15 or 20 years old doesn’t know what electricity is. If light comes up and the generator is not on, the boy of 15 years will be wondering where the light is coming from. That is how bad it is. And this is a town that has a House of Rep member, deputy appropriation chairman.

“Deputy governor, what do you call it, two House of Assembly members, three commissioners, and all that you have in government? And the place has been abandoned with normalized darkness in Afikpo. And the people you see here have reduced. We were over 2,000 in the morning because it’s a matter of concern. No right-thinking person would just endure this situation,” Iheukwumere said.

He further decried the lack of human and capital development in the area, noting that many graduates remain unemployed while resources are allegedly mismanaged.

“And we are saying, without this power restoration, we are not voting and won’t allow anybody to campaign.

“That is our resolve. No light. No vote. No light. No vote. So that is our resolve because we’ve traveled and we’ve seen how things work. Most of the persons you’re seeing here, they have masters.

“Some even have doctorate degrees. And we have somebody in the House of Rep who’s seen how jobs are being gotten; the advertisements you see online and in the newspaper have already been given. They share jobs now. Where is the one for our people, our constituency? Instead, they want to keep us especially in darkness because if 500 million can be budgeted for fish into the river, is it 2 billion or 3 billion that he cannot also do it the way he did it to achieve that 500 million for our electricity?

“So it’s something that is confusing. And I don’t know, most of us are just helpless, especially our elders. I don’t know where and how this town, a town that houses the who’s who, people who are courageous, people who are brave, and I don’t know where they are.

“The promise I’m making to our people, even if it’s only me, is the truth; I must continue to agitate, I must continue to ask for the things that are right for the people; I can’t do otherwise,” he added.

A female protester, Lady Sheravin Mbe, also told reporters that Afikpo once enjoyed electricity decades ago, recalling efforts by a former lawmaker to restore power.

“You could imagine since 1970, I think from that time till now, it should be more than 49 years. What happened now? That our children, our grandchildren, would say we don’t have need of this wire; I do tell them we once had light in Afikpo.

“They now ask me what happened now. I told them I don’t know. But some so-called big fish in Afikpo. Because I know there’s a lady here that wanted this light and stood firm to make sure that there’s light in Afikpo. And her name is Maria Udewachi; her efforts were truncated because she is a woman,” she added.

The protesters insisted that their stance remains unchanged, warning that political campaigns and voting would be resisted if the electricity issue is not urgently addressed.

Observers say the development could have implications for upcoming local government elections and the 2027 general elections if the grievances remain unresolved.

Former presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has raised the alarm over what he described as a disturbing pattern of cancelled university engagements across Nigeria, warning that intellectual freedom in the country’s institutions of higher learning is increasingly under threat.

Obi, in a statement released on Saturday via X.com said he was scheduled to deliver a keynote lecture at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, at 9am, before proceeding to Ibadan for an opposition parties’ political summit billed to commence at noon, when he received word that the event had been called off.

The former Anambra State governor said the development was far from an isolated occurrence, disclosing that similar cancellations had taken place on more than 10 separate occasions.

“While such occurrences may be dismissed in isolation, it is important to state clearly that this has now happened more than 10 times. This is no longer incidental; it points to a troubling pattern that should concern all well-meaning Nigerians,” he said.

Obi revealed that his alma mater, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, was equally affected, noting that an inaugural annual lecture organised by the family of late Professor Frank Ndili, a former Vice Chancellor of the institution, was abruptly cancelled by the university authority on the day it was to hold.

Drawing a contrast with his experiences abroad, he said that within the past 24 months, he had freely delivered lectures at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, the University of Chicago, the University of Pennsylvania, and Imperial College London, among others.

“Those environments continue to demonstrate openness to dialogue, critical thinking, and shared learning — values that should equally define our own institutions,” he stated.

Obi questioned what the repeated restriction of intellectual platforms indicated about Nigeria’s direction as a nation, arguing that a country’s growth was inseparable from its capacity to sustain open debate and the free exchange of ideas.

“We must ask ourselves: what kind of nation are we building if spaces meant for intellectual engagement are gradually shrinking? A country’s progress is anchored on its ability to encourage knowledge, debate, and the contest of ideas, not restrict them,” he said.

He called on Nigeria to chart a course toward becoming a society where knowledge is shared without fear and where its institutions remained faithful to the principles upon which they were founded.

A high-profile land dispute between the former Governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, and the Chief Executive Officer of Energy FM, Dr. Basil Kenechukwu Ogbuanu, has escalated into a legal firestorm following the alleged demolition of property worth hundreds of millions of naira.

​At the heart of the crisis is a ₦5.8 billion claim brought by Dr. Ogbuanu against the elder statesman and his wife, Dr. Patricia Nwobodo. The Lagos-based businessman alleges that his investments at Patson Estate, Independence Layout, were not only secured through a deceptive web of shell companies but were eventually reduced to rubble while he was being “persecuted” through the criminal justice system.

​The Demolition and the ₦5.8bn Bill

​According to court filings obtained by our correspondent, Dr. Ogbuanu is seeking ₦820 million in special damages specifically for the destruction of his buildings and the loss of construction materials.

Another building brought down

This is bolstered by an additional ₦5 billion claim in general damages for what he describes as emotional and psychological distress.
​Ogbuanu’s legal team asserts that after obtaining all necessary building permits and government approvals, his development was allegedly targeted in early 2026.

The plaintiff claims that while he was being detained, earthmoving equipment—allegedly protected by police officers—leveled his structures and carted away materials worth millions.

​A Web of Companies and “Conflicting Titles”

​The plaintiff’s statement of claim paints a picture of a complex transaction involving multiple entities linked to the Nwobodos. Ogbuanu alleges he paid over ₦235 million for several plots (R/18 to R/22), initially dealing with Millennium Construction & Estate Developers Ltd.

Another building erected by Dr Ogbuanu allegedly demolished by his opponents

​However, the plot thickened when subsequent transactions were moved to Linkana Hotels Limited. A search at the Ministry of Lands later revealed a third entity, Moss Island Limited, held the actual title as of 2022.

​”All the sales done in the name of Linkana had no authority because the property belonged to another company,” a source familiar with the case alleged.

​The Counter-Suit: “No Enforceable Sale”

​In a swift legal counter-move (Suit No. E/244/2025), Senator Jim Nwobodo and his wife have asked the court to declare that no valid or enforceable sale ever took place.

​The former Governor maintains that Ogbuanu proceeded with construction despite being notified that titles were undergoing recertification due to government land-use changes.

Nwobodo claims he offered the investor a refund, which was rejected. He further alleges that Ogbuanu’s workers assaulted a police officer and “unlawfully confined” his wife during a site visit in January 2026.

​The Failed Criminal Prosecution

​While the civil suits loom, the Nwobodos suffered a legal setback on April 15, 2026. A Magistrate Court struck out criminal charges of conspiracy and assault filed against Dr. Ogbuanu.

​His Worship D.K. Ekoh lambasted the complainants for a “lack of diligent prosecution,” noting that Dr. Patricia Nwobodo failed to appear in court to lead evidence.

The court consequently awarded ₦1 million in costs against her, with the Magistrate remarking that complainants who stay in “luxury homes” instead of proving their case must pay for the wrongful inconvenience caused to the defendants.

​The Road Ahead

​As it stands, the Enugu State High Court is set to become the battlefield for two conflicting narratives: one of an investor allegedly defrauded and his property demolished, and another of a prominent family defending their estate from “unauthorized building activities.”