The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has defended President Bola Tinubu’s campaign pledge to end estimated electricity billing and improve power supply, insisting that the commitment should be assessed in light of the administration’s reforms and achievements since taking office in 2023.
In a statement issued by the Council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, the APC recalled that Tinubu, during an engagement with members of the Organised Private Sector in Lagos ahead of the 2023 general elections, pledged to tackle Nigeria’s long-standing electricity challenges.
According to the statement, the President had also assured Nigerians that he would provide a comprehensive explanation if his administration failed to deliver on the promise before seeking a second term in office.
The APC argued that the President’s performance in the power sector should be evaluated based on measurable progress in electricity supply, metering, infrastructure development and market stability.
The Council noted that within two weeks of assuming office, Tinubu signed the Electricity Act 2023 into law, a move it said liberalised the power sector by granting states greater authority to participate in electricity generation, transmission and distribution.
It added that several states, including Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna and Niger, have since leveraged the legislation by establishing electricity regulatory agencies and attracting private-sector investment into the industry.
The statement also highlighted the Presidential Metering Initiative, claiming that more than 1.5 million electricity customers have been provided with meters over the past three years as part of efforts to close the nation’s metering gap and reduce reliance on estimated billing.
According to the APC, the Federal Government has further introduced a ₦4 trillion bond programme aimed at settling verified legacy debts owed to power generation companies and gas suppliers. The party said the first two tranches of the programme have already raised more than ₦1.2 trillion.
The ruling party also 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 challenges remain in the electricity sector, the APC maintained that the Tinubu administration has continued to implement policies and reforms aimed at improving power supply across the country.
The party said President Tinubu remains committed to fulfilling his campaign promises and will present his scorecard on the power sector as part of his case for re-election, including an account of areas where further progress is still required.
