•Paying debts does not translate to power in homes of Nigerians — Atiku

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC) has maintained that President Bola Tinubu is working consistently to address Nigeria’s perennial power sector challenges, emphasizing that his administration’s comprehensive reforms are steadily tackling historical hurdles.

In a statement on Sunday, the Presidential Campaign Council cited the metering of over 1.5 million electricity customers and the raising of more than ₦1.2 trillion under the federal government’s power sector debt programme as evidence of President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to reform Nigeria’s electricity industry.

The council said the interventions formed part of the administration’s response to longstanding challenges in the power sector, including estimated billing, inadequate infrastructure, market liquidity and unreliable electricity supply.

In a press statement issued on Sunday, the council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, said the administration had taken steps to fulfil Tinubu’s 2023 campaign promise to address electricity challenges, particularly the burden of estimated billing on households and businesses.

Tinubu had made the promise during a meeting with members of the Organised Private Sector in Lagos ahead of the 2023 general elections, assuring Nigerians that they would have electricity without paying estimated bills.

However, the APC said public commentary on the pledge had often excluded the President’s concluding remark that he would provide adequate reasons if he failed to deliver before seeking a second term.

Defending the administration’s record, Alake said the Presidential Metering Initiative was introduced to address a metering gap previously estimated at over seven million.

He added that more than 1.5 million customers had been metered under the programme in the last three years.

On the financial challenges confronting the electricity market, the council said the Federal Government had introduced a ₦4 trillion bond programme to settle verified legacy debts owed to 21 electricity generation companies and gas companies.

According to the statement, the first and second tranches of the programme have raised over ₦1.2 trillion to address part of the outstanding obligations.

The council argued that the intervention had helped reduce market risks and improve confidence among investors, pointing to recent investments by Geregu Power Plc in new transformers for its Geregu 1 Power Plant.

It also highlighted the Electricity Act 2023, which allows state governments to participate in electricity generation, transmission and distribution through the establishment of state electricity markets and regulatory agencies.

Alake listed Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna and Niger among the states that had begun taking advantage of the legislation.

On transmission infrastructure, the council said the administration had continued work on the Presidential Power Initiative inherited from the previous administration.

It noted that the Federal Executive Council approved the first batch of five Transmission Company of Nigeria substations for upgrades in December 2024, while a second batch involving the construction of eight new substations and the upgrade of four existing facilities received approval in June 2026.

The administration is also planning to modernise the Osogbo Grid Control Centre and develop an East-West super grid, according to the statement.

On electricity pricing, the APC said the government had introduced different service bands with corresponding tariffs to improve the financial position of distribution companies and strengthen revenue collection.

It maintained that the policy was intended to balance the need for cost-reflective electricity tariffs with the protection of low-income households.

The council, however, acknowledged that resolving the country’s electricity challenges remained unfinished, insisting that the administration was committed to completing the reforms.

It said Tinubu would present his power sector scorecard to Nigerians and explain outstanding challenges as he seeks a second term in office.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in a statement had earlier accusing the APC-PCC of attempting to sweep President Bola Tinubu’s unfulfilled electricity promises under a mountain of bureaucratic paperwork and administrative excuses.

Atiku in a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication for the ADC Presidential Campaign Council asserted that the administration’s recitation of laws, committees, bonds, and projects has done nothing to alleviate the crippling darkness facing Nigerian homes and businesses.

He argued that after three and a half years, families continue to struggle with erratic power supply, while traders and small business owners hemorrhage scarce resources on alternative energy just to keep afloat.

The former Vice President took direct aim at the current tariff structure, pointing out that consumers grouped under Bands A through E face steep, burdensome rates such as roughly ₦209.50 per unit before VAT for Band A customers despite enduring persistent blackouts and receiving inflated bills for power they never consumed.

He also questioned the government’s looming plans to end electricity subsidies by 2027, demanding transparency on how future pricing will impact ordinary households already squeezed by the high cost of living.

Atiku also criticized provisions in the Nigeria Tax Act regarding a potential 5 per cent surcharge on fossil fuels, arguing that adding prospective energy charges to struggling citizens is deeply insensitive.

Reminding the public of President Tinubu’s prominent 2022 campaign challenge where the then-candidate famously urged voters not to vote for him if he failed to deliver constant electricity within four years, Atiku stated that the stipulated timeframe has elapsed without fulfillment.

He dismissed the administration’s multi-trillion naira bond program for clearing legacy debts as a poor substitute for constructing new power generation infrastructure, emphasizing that paying old debts does not equate to power delivered in people’s homes.

Insisting that Nigerians cannot cook, study, or sustain livelihoods on official announcements and policy paperwork, Atiku called on the President to face public accountability rather than relying on campaign surrogates to interpret his past commitments.