The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the worsening electricity situation in Nigeria, accusing his administration of failing to provide stable power supply despite increased tariffs.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Media Aide, Phrank Shuaibu, Atiku said the explanations offered by the Tinubu administration could not address the electricity challenges facing households and businesses across the country.
He said Nigerians were tired of what he described as excuses and propaganda, while millions of homes and businesses continued to experience inadequate power supply.
According to the former Vice-President, the government has failed to address the problems in the power sector despite charging consumers higher electricity rates.
“Tinubu’s electricity excuses cannot light a single home. Nigerians need light, not excuses,” he said.
Atiku also criticised the electricity tariff structure, which places consumers in Bands A, B, C, D and E under different payment arrangements.
He noted that customers in Band A pay about ₦209.50 per kilowatt-hour before value-added tax (VAT) in many areas, while rates for other bands vary depending on the state and electricity distribution company.
He argued that consumers across the different bands continued to face unreliable electricity supply despite paying their bills.
“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,” he added.
The ADC chieftain called on the Tinubu administration to stop politicising the electricity crisis and prioritise the provision of reliable power to Nigerians.
