Alake admits Tinubu yet to fulfil electricity promise, says work in progress

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, APC-PCC, has admitted that President Bola Tinubu has not fully addressed Nigeria’s electricity challenges but insists that his administration remains committed to providing Nigerians with reliable power supply.

The council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, acknowledged that improving the power sector remained unfinished business, three years after Tinubu took office.

However, he defended the administration’s efforts, saying the President had taken steps to address the structural, institutional and financial problems that have affected the sector for more than five decades.

In a statement issued on Sunday titled ‘Tinubu’s Electricity Pledge Must Be Considered in Full Context,’ Alake urged Nigerians to assess the President’s 2023 campaign promise alongside the actions taken by his administration.

During a meeting with members of the Organised Private Sector in Lagos before the 2023 general election, Tinubu had promised to end estimated billing and ensure a stable electricity supply.

“Whichever way, by all means necessary, you will have electricity, and you will not pay for estimated bills anymore. A promise made will be a promise kept,” Tinubu had said.

He also challenged Nigerians not to re-elect him if he failed to deliver on the promise without giving sufficient reasons.

Alake argued that some recent reports had quoted the President’s promise without including his concluding remarks, insisting that his statement should be considered in its entirety.

He said Tinubu signed the Electricity Act 2023 on June 9, less than two weeks after assuming office. The law allows state governments to participate in electricity generation, transmission and distribution.

According to him, states including Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna and Niger have started using the opportunity to establish regulatory agencies and attract private investment into their electricity markets.

On the financial challenges facing the sector, Alake said the administration inherited more than N6 trillion in outstanding debts accumulated since 2015.

He explained that the Federal Government introduced a N4 trillion bond programme to settle verified debts owed to 21 electricity generation and gas companies.

He added that the first two phases of the programme had raised more than N1.2 trillion to pay part of the outstanding liabilities.

On electricity metering, Alake said the government had introduced the Presidential Metering Initiative, through which more than 1.5 million customers had received meters in the past three years.

He also defended the government’s decision to move electricity tariffs towards cost-reflective levels, saying the measure was aimed at improving the financial position of operators.

He said the administration had introduced different electricity service bands and protection measures for low-income households.