The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has said the attempt by the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council to explain President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 electricity pledge amounts to rewriting his commitment.
In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the council reacted to comments by the spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Alake, and maintained that President Tinubu was clear when he said Nigerians should not vote for him for a second term if he failed to deliver electricity.
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.
The council said no amount of selective editing could erase the commitment from the consciousness of Nigerians.
It said that, rather than end estimated billing, the Tinubu administration presided over increased electricity bills, leaving many households struggling to afford power supply.
The ADC-PCC said businesses, including hospitality facilities, have been forced to ration electricity by switching off power for guests during the daytime to contain operating costs.
It also criticised the introduction of tariff classifications under Bands A, B, C and others, arguing that consumers continue to pay more without receiving reliable supply.
The council said more than three years after the promise was made, Nigerians were still grappling with persistent outages, repeated national grid collapses and inadequate supply.
It also questioned the effectiveness of the Presidential Metering Initiative, saying 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. What Nigerians need is electricity that works, not another round of explanations,’ the council said.
The council 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 not ask Nigerians for another mandate.
The ADC-PCC called on the APC to address the electricity question directly rather than attempt to dilute the public commitment made by its presidential candidate.
It said the 16 January 2027 election would provide Nigerians with an opportunity to assess the administration’s performance against its promises.