APC Defends Tinubu’s Electricity Pledge, Cites Reforms And Investments In Power Sector
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has defended President Bola Tinubu’s campaign promise to end estimated electricity billing and ensure stable power supply, saying the commitment should be assessed alongside the administration’s efforts and achievements since assuming office in 2023.
The Council’s Spokesperson, Dele Alake, said in a statement that President Tinubu made the promise during a meeting with members of the Organised Private Sector in Lagos ahead of the 2023 general elections.
According to the statement, Tinubu had pledged to address longstanding challenges in the power sector and promised to provide Nigerians with an adequate explanation if his administration failed to fulfil the commitment before seeking a second term.
The Council argued that the promise should be evaluated against measurable improvements in electricity supply, metering, infrastructure development and market stability.
It noted that within two weeks of assuming office, President Tinubu signed the Electricity Act, 2023, which liberalised the power sector and allowed state governments to participate in electricity generation, transmission and distribution.
The statement identified Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna and Niger as states that have begun taking advantage of the legislation by establishing electricity regulatory agencies and attracting private investments.
On metering, the APC highlighted the Presidential Metering Initiative, stating that more than 1.5 million customers had been metered within the last three years as part of efforts to address the country’s metering gap.
It also disclosed that the Federal Government had introduced a four-trillion-naira bond programme to settle verified legacy debts owed to power generation and gas companies, with the first two tranches raising more than 1.2 trillion naira.
The Council further pointed to ongoing investments in transmission infrastructure, including the upgrading of substations, expansion of the national grid and plans to modernise the Osogbo Grid Control Centre.
While acknowledging that addressing the challenges in the electricity sector remains a work in progress, the APC maintained that President Tinubu had not abandoned his commitment to improving power supply.
The statement added that as the President seeks a second term, he would present his scorecard on the power sector and explain areas where further improvements are required.
