Atiku Criticizes Tinubu Over Power Pledges, Claims APC Can't Alter Promises

{ "articleTitle": "Atiku Accuses Tinubu of Failing Electricity Pledge, Says APC Cannot Rewrite Promise", "articleDescription": "The African Democratic Congress presidential campaign council stated that President Bola Tinubu has not fulfilled his promise of steady power supply after three and a half years in office. Atiku Abubakar criticized the All Progressives Congress for focusing on legislative paperwork while consumers face unreliable electricity and rising costs.", "articleBody": "

ADC Campaign Council Challenges APC’s Power Record

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Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to obscure President Bola Tinubu’s unfulfilled electricity pledge. In a statement released by the ADC Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC), Atiku argued that the ruling party is using a \"long recital of laws, committees, bonds, and projects\" to distract from the lack of steady power supply.

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Phrank Shaibu, the Director of Strategic Communication for the ADC-PCC, issued the statement on behalf of Atiku. The council criticized the APC for celebrating \"paperwork\" while homes and businesses remain without consistent electricity after three and a half years of the current administration.

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Atiku stated that families continue to struggle to keep their homes lit and that traders and small business owners are spending scarce resources on alternative power sources while trying to keep their businesses operational. The ADC-PCC noted that Nigerians are currently billed for unreliable electricity, despite President Tinubu’s campaign promise to end estimated billing and provide steady power.

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Consumer Costs and Billing Disputes

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The ADC-PCC highlighted the financial burden placed on consumers under the current tariff structure. The council reported that customers are categorized into Bands A through E, which carry varying rates. Specifically, Band A customers are required to pay approximately N209.50 per unit before value-added tax (VAT), even though power supply remains inconsistent.

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Atiku promised that if elected, he would abolish the current band system. He stated his intention to replace it with a framework described as fair, transparent, and affordable for all Nigerians.

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The campaign council also referenced President Tinubu’s 2022 campaign commitment, in which he allegedly stated he would not seek a second term if he failed to provide constant electricity for four years. The ADC-PCC alleged that the administration has not constructed any new generation infrastructure of its own. Instead, the council claimed the government floated a multitrillion naira bond program intended to settle legacy debts without demonstrating how this process produces steady electricity.

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Atiku asserted that paying old debts is not equivalent to building new power infrastructure and that bonds cannot substitute for actual power in homes.

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Taxation and Political Climate

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The ADC-PCC accused the government of exacerbating power issues through what it termed unjustifiable energy taxes. The council cited the implementation of VAT on electricity and a five percent surcharge on fossil fuels under the Nigeria Tax Act as factors increasing the cost of energy for citizens.

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While the government has claimed that the fuel surcharge has not been activated and requires a specific ministerial order to take effect, the ADC-PCC questioned why Nigerians face potential new charges while already struggling with existing energy costs.

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In a separate declaration, the ADC-PCC condemned what it described as sustained