The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken aim at President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of failing to deliver on his campaign promises to improve Nigeria’s electricity supply.
In a statement issued on Sunday, July 20, the party’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said Nigerians were still living in darkness despite Tinubu’s pledge to provide round-the-clock electricity.
“Good morning, Nigerians. Today, we just want to take some time to remind President Tinubu that he promised Nigerians uninterrupted electricity within four years. Yes, that’s right, Mr. President promised us 24/7 power. All by himself,” the statement read.
Abdullahi referenced a widely circulated campaign video in which Tinubu had vowed to end estimated billing, promising: “A promise made will be a promise kept. If I don’t keep my promise and I come back for a second time, don’t vote for me.”
According to the ADC, things have only gotten worse since Tinubu took office in May 2023. The party noted that electricity tariffs have spiked by 240 percent, while the national grid has suffered 12 collapses under his watch.
“There’s been no major policy shift, no recovery plan, and no serious attempt to communicate any solution to the public,” Abdullahi said.
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He pointed out that more than 90 million Nigerians still don’t have access to electricity, and even in cities, most people barely get four to six hours of power a day under the Band A to E system.
“In rural communities, most of Nigeria’s 50 million families remain completely off the grid, with no access to electricity at all,” he said.
Abdullahi criticised what he described as a “lack of urgency” from the government, saying many Nigerians still rely on charging kiosks and spend huge sums fuelling their generators.
“We are past the halfway mark of this administration, and millions of Nigerians are still charging their phones at mobile charging kiosks and spending hundreds of thousands to fuel their generators,” he said.
He ended with a pointed reminder of Tinubu’s own words: “Mr. President, you once said: ‘If I don’t give you electricity, don’t vote for me.’ Well, Nigerians are listening. And come 2027, we intend to grant your wish.”
As of press time, the Presidency has not responded to the ADC’s comments.