Backlash as Tinubu’s right hand man gives explanation on national grid collapse

In a bid to clarify details of a nationwide grid collapse that left millions in darkness, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, took to his X account on Wednesday, sharing a detailed explanation from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on the collapse.

https://x.com/aonanuga1956/status/1853977065898283204?t=lmbuht_FVzyHEPm_IGJFkw&s=19

However, rather than pacifying concerns, his post ignited swift backlash from netizens, who flooded the comments section with criticisms over what they described as a pattern of “excuse-giving.”

The national grid, which reportedly went down on Tuesday afternoon, has left citizens across Nigeria grappling with power outages and disrupted services. Onanuga, by sharing TCN’s statement, sought to offer insights into the causes of the collapse, with TCN explaining the technical issues behind the failure. Yet, frustrated citizens voiced discontent, accusing the administration of recurrent excuses rather than providing solutions.

Many netizens lambasted Onanuga’s statement, stating he “only ever defends the government’s failures” and suggested he should feel ashamed for the persistent power struggles under the administration. Some comments questioned why excuses seemed to be the go-to response for national challenges, while others demanded accountability and tangible improvements in infrastructure.

“This government keeps giving excuses every day; do they have nothing more to offer?” one user wrote, capturing the general sentiment echoed by others. Another commenter criticized Onanuga, writing, “You’re always defending, never solving. Nigerians deserve better than endless justifications.”

Read some netizens’ reactions below;

@olamilekan: Babayi!
Leave this lame excuse for younger fools in your camp. I mean stop acting like a m0ron everytime.
Your paymaster @officialABAT you once called a criminal is a failure and will always be one. We know and no need to shalaye every time.

@loyalty: Dear @aonanuga1956 the “explainer” General, I hope the Kiri Dam in Tudun Tsira Adamawa state has been looked into and repairs done?

@faiz_win: Bayo, you will explain for the rest of your life but your explanation will fall on deaf ears.

@omookunola: How can the whole nation be in darkness at the same time, this is shameful.
Electricity should be decentralised.

@kema: You mean you came into office to explain why you can’t provide electricity to the end users?

Like explaining why you failed an exam repeatedly in a year.
And we are supposed to just understand and score you PASS?

The surge of criticism highlights rising public frustration with Nigeria’s power sector challenges, which continue to hinder economic growth and daily life. While Onanuga has not yet responded to the comments, the wave of backlash underline a mounting call for government transparency and actionable reforms in a sector long plagued by instability.