KWALE/Nigeria: Organised Ndokwa Effort (ONE), a leading pressure group committed to the development of the Ukwuani and Ndoshimili communities in Delta State, has thrown its weight behind a planned mass protest against the persistent power outage that has crippled the Ndokwa nation for years.
In a statement issued on June 7, 2027, titled “Fear Not”, the group urged community members, especially the youth, to stand firm as they prepare for what could be one of the most significant peaceful demonstrations in the region’s recent history. The protest seeks to compel the implementation of the long-abandoned Power Step Down (PSD) project designed to connect oil and gas-rich Ndokwa communities to the national electricity grid.
Despite growing speculation in political circles, the organizers maintain that the protest is not targeted at any government body but is rather a legitimate response to years of institutional failure and neglect. “This is not an anti-state movement. It is a protest against inefficiency,” the statement read.
At the heart of the protest is the alleged failure of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and its subcontractors to deliver on the substation infrastructure needed to supply power to the region. For years, multiple federal interventions and appropriated funds have failed to resolve the blackout, leaving an area with vast energy potential in economic decline.
Citing Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and protest, the organizers stressed their constitutional right to demand accountability. “This protest is not a threat; it is a cry for help,” a community coordinator said. “Our people are suffering. Our youths are unemployed, businesses are folding, and our elders are aging without ever seeing light in their homes.”
The group clarified that neither the Federal Government, which co-owns the Okpai Independent Power Plant with the NNPC, nor the Delta State Government—which has shown support by contributing ₦50 million for Right of Way—are being targeted. Instead, the blame is squarely placed on the leadership of TCN. Protesters accuse the agency’s management, particularly its Managing Director/CEO, of ignoring ministerial directives to bridge infrastructure gaps such as sand-filling and road access through the use of internally generated revenue.
According to the community, less than 3% of the work has been done despite the project being backed by a dollar-denominated letter of credit for over five years. A recent TCN internal report reportedly cited gross underperformance by the contractor and recommended terminating the agreement. Protesters now demand the immediate sack and prosecution of the TCN MD/CEO, citing failure to obtain a Bureau of Public Procurement “No Objection Certificate” as a breach of due process.
The blackout crisis in Ndokwa has reached a breaking point. While a privileged few can afford personal gas-powered turbines, the vast majority live in perpetual darkness, burdened by soaring fuel costs. Women, youths, and the elderly bear the brunt of this neglect. “We will not wait for our parents to die before they see electricity,” a youth activist declared.
Community leaders emphasized that the protest is a last resort after two decades of failed dialogue, unfulfilled presidential approvals, and broken promises. They warned against any attempt by security forces to suppress the peaceful demonstration, citing the concentration of vital national assets in the area. “We urge authorities to treat peaceful citizens with respect and restraint,” ONE stated, warning that any heavy-handed response could escalate tensions unnecessarily.
As election season looms, the protest has come to symbolize a wider awakening across Ukwuani/Ndoshimili communities. It is an assertion of civic agency by a people long ignored by successive governments. “We have chosen peace, not violence,” the organizers reiterated. “Now, let us see if the Nigerian state will choose justice.”
