Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration over its handling of Nigeria’s electricity sector, accusing the government of celebrating policies, committees and financial interventions without delivering reliable power to Nigerians.
Atiku, in a statement issued on Sunday, November 1, by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council was attempting to distract Nigerians from Tinubu’s unfulfilled electricity promises.
He accused the administration of celebrating legislative and financial measures while households and businesses continued to experience unreliable electricity supply.
“The APC should spare Nigerians the spectacle of celebrating paperwork while homes and businesses remain in darkness. After three and a half years, families still struggle to keep their homes lit,” Atiku said.
He lamented that traders and small business owners were spending scarce resources on alternative electricity sources while struggling to keep their businesses operational.
According to him, Nigerians continue to receive electricity bills despite the inability of distribution companies to guarantee reliable power supply.
“Nigerians are billed for electricity they cannot rely on. President Tinubu promised steady power and an end to estimated billing. That promise has not been kept,” he added.
The former vice president also criticised the current electricity tariff structure, which categorises consumers into Bands A, B, C, D and E, with different rates depending on their locations and electricity providers.
He noted that some Band A customers pay approximately ₦209.50 per kilowatt-hour before Value Added Tax (VAT), arguing that consumers across the different bands continue to experience similar challenges despite the varying charges.
“Yet across every band, the same hardship endures: the power fails, but the bill arrives. No family should have to weigh the cost of electricity against the cost of food. No business should be left to pay more while receiving less,” Atiku said.
He further questioned the Federal Government’s plan to end electricity subsidies from 2027, despite assurances that there would be no immediate increase in electricity tariffs.
Atiku demanded clarification on the implications of the planned subsidy removal for electricity consumers.
He also promised to work with state governments and regulators to abolish the existing band system and introduce what he described as a fairer, transparent and affordable electricity tariff framework.
“I will work with state governments and regulators, within the law, to abolish the present band system and replace it with a fair, transparent and affordable framework that protects households and holds power companies accountable for the electricity they deliver.
“Steady power that Nigerians can afford will be a national priority,” he said.
Atiku also recalled Tinubu’s campaign promise ahead of the 2023 presidential election, when the then presidential candidate challenged Nigerians to judge his administration by its ability to deliver constant electricity.
Quoting Tinubu, he said: “‘If I don’t give you constant electricity for four years, when I come back for a second term, don’t vote for me.’”
Atiku argued that the president should be held accountable for the commitment rather than relying on explanations from members of his campaign council.
“Nigerians have lived through those four years. They do not need his campaign council to interpret his words for them. They need him to answer for them,” he said.
The former vice president also alleged that the Tinubu administration had not constructed any new electricity generation infrastructure of its own to increase Nigeria’s power generation capacity.
He questioned the effectiveness of the government’s multitrillion-naira bond programme designed to settle outstanding debts owed to electricity generation companies.
According to him, settling inherited debts does not amount to expanding the country’s electricity generation capacity.
“Paying old debts is not the same as building new power infrastructure. Bonds cannot be presented as a substitute for power in people’s homes,” he stated.
Atiku also raised concerns over the application of VAT on electricity and provisions in the Nigeria Tax Act for a five per cent surcharge on certain fossil fuels, including petrol and diesel.
He acknowledged the government’s position that the surcharge had not been activated and would require a ministerial order but insisted that Nigerians deserved clarity on the possibility of additional energy-related charges.
The former vice president maintained that the administration’s policies and financial announcements had not translated into improved electricity supply.
“Dele Alake’s statement cannot light a home. Signing a law is not electricity. Raising a bond is not electricity. Approving a project is not power delivered.
“Nigerians cannot cook, study, work or sustain a business on announcements. President Tinubu invited Nigerians to judge him by his performance. They have done so.
“What they seek is simple: reliable electricity they can afford, and a government that keeps its word,” Atiku said.
