The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council has challenged the All Progressives Congress to explain why President Bola Tinubu has not kept his 2023 promise on electricity. They believe no political excuses can change his commitment to Nigerians.
The opposition party reminded everyone that the president clearly promised that Nigerians should not vote for him for a second term if he failed to deliver electricity in his first four years.
In a statement released on Sunday, Kola Ologbondiyan, the ADC-PCC Director of Media and Publicity, said the APC's efforts to explain or twist the President’s statements through selective quotes are just attempts to dodge accountability.
He pointed out that Tinubu told Nigerians during the 2023 presidential campaign, "Don’t vote for me for a second term if I fail to deliver electricity."
Ologbondiyan said this was a clear promise made by Tinubu as a candidate seeking the nation's support. He added that Nigerians have the right to judge his administration based on that promise.
The council stated, "No amount of selective editing, additional paragraphs or grammatical gymnastics can erase that commitment from the consciousness of Nigerians."
They argued that instead of improving electricity supply and easing the burden on consumers, the Tinubu administration has raised electricity tariffs, caused persistent outages, and continued to rely on estimated billing.
The ADC-PCC also accused the government of introducing unfair tariff categories under Bands A, B, and C without providing reliable power supply that matches what consumers pay.
They claimed that the rising cost of electricity has made it hard for some businesses, especially in hospitality, to provide power to guests during the day as they try to cut costs.
Households, manufacturers, and small businesses are struggling with high electricity costs while dealing with unreliable supply.
The council questioned how well the Presidential Metering Initiative is working, saying its execution has not met expectations, with electricity distribution companies still sending estimated bills to customers.
They criticized the APC for relying on the Electricity Act and government bond programs to defend the administration’s performance. The opposition campaign council said changes in laws and funding cannot replace actual power supply.
They stated, "An Act is not electricity. A bond prospectus does not power homes and factories. Nigerians cannot eat statutes. What Nigerians need is electricity that works, not another round of explanations and publicity."
The council emphasized that the main issue is not the number of policies, laws, or financing plans introduced by the government, but whether Nigerians now receive more reliable and affordable electricity.
They urged the APC to focus on the President’s campaign promise instead of trying to twist the meaning of his words.
The ADC-PCC noted that the presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16, 2027, will give Nigerians a chance to evaluate the administration based on its campaign promises.
This electricity issue comes amid ongoing problems in Nigeria’s power sector. These include not enough generation, issues with transmission, distribution problems, liquidity challenges, and frequent failures of the national grid.
Past administrations have made promises and reforms to improve electricity supply, but unreliable power remains a big worry for homes and businesses.
The Electricity Act 2023, signed by Tinubu in June 2023, sets up a framework for states to create and manage electricity markets within their areas, following constitutional and regulatory rules.
The Federal Government has also pushed for metering and funding initiatives to tackle the sector’s infrastructure and revenue issues.
Still, the ADC-PCC argues that these actions should be evaluated based on their effect on consumers. They insist that Nigerians should not accept policy announcements instead of real improvements in electricity supply.
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