The key sponsor of the planned rally against First Power in Anambra State, Comrade Osita Obi, has told the state police command that the only way to stop the planned rally scheduled for Saturday is to arrest him.
Comrade Obi also wrote to the governor of the state, assuring him that the rally would be peaceful and orderly.
In the letter addressed to the governor, Obi urged the authorities to hold him personally responsible in the event of any violent activity during the rally.
The rally is being organised under the auspices of the Electricity Consumers Rights Initiative and the Electricity Consumers Rights Network.
According to the organisers, the protest is aimed at compelling First Power to improve electricity supply, stop estimated billing, provide prepaid meters for consumers, and address other related demands.
Obi made the statement when he and other organising members visited the state police command to brief officers about the planned rally.
During the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Ibrahim Ezekiel, advised the organisers against proceeding with the rally.
He argued that the protest could be hijacked by hoodlums, noting that the security situation now is already tense.
However, Obi insisted that he had organised several rallies and protests in the state in the past and none had turned violent.
He questioned why the planned rally was being treated differently.
According to him, the police should hold him responsible for any outbreak of violence, stressing that Ndi Anambra are suffering under the operations of First Power, which he accused of “killing residents with excessive and arbitrary billing.”
The Letter to the Governor Reads:
NOTICE OF PLANNED RALLY AGAINST FIRST POWER
Your Excellency,
We, the members of the above-named organisations, humbly write to formally inform you of our plan to organise a peaceful rally against First Power in Anambra State.
The purpose of this rally is to draw urgent attention to the persistent challenges faced by electricity consumers in the state and to compel First Power and the relevant electricity distribution authorities to address the following issues:
Improvement of electricity supply across Anambra State, which has remained grossly inadequate despite the heavy financial burden placed on consumers.
Immediate installation of prepaid meters for electricity consumers and the complete stoppage of estimated billing, which is currently being carried out arbitrarily and without proper computerised metering systems.
Immediate suspension of the electricity band tariff regime, which has imposed additional financial hardship on consumers without any corresponding improvement in electricity supply.
An end to extortion, over-billing, and exploitation allegedly being perpetrated by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and First Power against electricity consumers in the state.
Your Excellency, we are mindful of the upcoming swearing-in ceremony marking the commencement of your new term in office. We remain ardent supporters of the Solution Government and would not engage in any action that could portray your administration in a negative light.
We wish to assure Your Excellency that this rally will be conducted peacefully and in an orderly manner. Adequate mechanisms have been put in place to ensure discipline among participants and to prevent any undesirable elements from hijacking the rally or causing public disturbance.
Your Excellency, the rally is scheduled to hold on 14 March 2026 along Ekwueme Square, starting at 8:00 a.m.
Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.
Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement issued on Monday titled:
“PLANNED PROTEST OVER ELECTRICITY FAILURE AND OVERESTIMATED BILLING TAGGED ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’: ANAMBRA POLICE HOLDS HOURS-LONG MEETING WITH ORGANISERS, URGES CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH RELEVANT AUTHORITIES,”
said the command had appealed to the organisers to embrace dialogue instead of protest.
According to Ikenga:“The Anambra State Police Command today, 9th March 2026, held an hour-long meeting at the Anambra State Police Command Headquarters in Awka with organisers of a planned protest over persistent electricity failure, alleged overestimated billing, and other related complaints tagged ‘Enough Is Enough.’
“During the discussions, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Ibrahim Ezekiel, acknowledged the concerns raised by the group regarding electricity supply and billing issues. He urged the organisers to adopt constructive dialogue and engagement with the relevant authorities responsible for electricity regulation and distribution, rather than resorting to street protests that may disrupt public order.
“The Command emphasised the importance of peaceful and lawful channels in addressing grievances and encouraged stakeholders to pursue institutional means of resolving the issues affecting residents.
“The Anambra State Police Command reassures the public of its commitment to maintaining law and order while promoting peaceful engagement between citizens and relevant authorities.”
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