By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has described as an afterthought the attempt by Mr. Dele Alake and the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council to rewrite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s categorical 2023 electricity pledge through selective quotations and elaborate explanations.
Reacting to comments by Mr Dele Alake, spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, the ADC-PCC Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, maintained that President Tinubu was unequivocal when he told Nigerians not to vote for him for a second term if he failed to deliver electricity during his first tenure.
According to the ADC-PCC, Nigerians have not forgotten the President’s words.
His commitment was clear and unambiguous: “Don’t vote for me for second term if I fail to deliver electricity.”
That was the pledge made by candidate Tinubu in 2023, ahead of the presidential election.
The council said no amount of selective editing, additional paragraphs or grammatical gymnastics could erase that commitment from the consciousness of Nigerians.
It noted that rather than end estimated billing, the Tinubu administration had presided over increased electricity bills, leaving many households struggling to afford power supply.
The ADC-PCC further observed that businesses, including hospitality facilities have been forced to ration electricity by switching off power for guests during daytime hours to contain operating costs.
It also criticised the introduction of discriminatory tariff classifications under Bands A, B, C and others, arguing that consumers continue to pay more without receiving reliable electricity supply.
The council said that more than three years after the promise was made, Nigerians were still grappling with persistent power outages, repeated national grid collapses and inadequate electricity supply.
It also questioned the effectiveness of the much-publicised Presidential Metering Initiative, alleging that its implementation had fallen short of expectations while electricity distribution companies continued to impose estimated bills on consumers.
According to the ADC-PCC, the APC’s reliance on the Electricity Act and bond programmes in defending the administration’s record does not address the fundamental question of whether Nigerians enjoy reliable and affordable electricity.
“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”, it said
The council further argued that electricity tariffs have increased substantially while supply remains unreliable, placing additional pressure on households, manufacturers and small businesses already battling rising operating costs.
It maintained that the President’s own condition for seeking a second term was straightforward: deliver electricity or do not ask Nigerians for another mandate.
The ADC-PCC therefore called on the APC to address the electricity question directly rather than attempt to dilute a public commitment made by its presidential candidate.
It said the January 16, 2027 election would provide Nigerians with an opportunity to assess the administration’s performance against its promises and make their choices at the polls.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
