ADC-PCC Accuses Tinubu Of Breaking 2023 Electricity Campaign Promise

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of failing to fulfil its 2023 electricity campaign promise, dismissing attempts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to explain away the President’s commitment.

I’mThe council was reacting to comments by Dele Alake, spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, who sought to clarify Tinubu’s earlier pledge that Nigerians should not re-elect him if he failed to provide electricity during his first term.

In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the ADC-PCC insisted that Tinubu’s declaration ahead of the 2023 presidential election was clear and required no further interpretation.

According to the council, the President had told Nigerians, “Don’t vote for me for second term if I fail to deliver electricity.”

It argued that no amount of selective quotations or elaborate explanations by the APC could erase the commitment from the minds of Nigerians.

The opposition council said that rather than eliminate estimated billing, the Tinubu administration had overseen increases in electricity tariffs, worsening the financial burden on households and businesses.

It further alleged that some hospitality businesses had resorted to rationing electricity, including switching off power for guests during daytime hours, to reduce operating costs.

The ADC-PCC also faulted the classification of electricity consumers into tariff bands, including Bands A, B and C, arguing that many Nigerians continued to pay higher bills without enjoying reliable power supply.

It said persistent electricity outages, repeated national grid collapses and inadequate supply remained major challenges more than three years after Tinubu made the pledge.

The council also questioned the impact of the Presidential Metering Initiative, alleging that its implementation had failed to meet expectations as distribution companies continued to issue estimated bills to consumers.

It maintained that the APC’s reliance on the Electricity Act and bond programmes as evidence of progress did not answer the central question of whether Nigerians now enjoyed affordable and reliable electricity.

“An Act is not electricity. A bond prospectus does not power homes and factories. Nigerians cannot eat statutes. What Nigerians need is electricity that works, not another round of explanations and publicity,” the statement said.

The ADC-PCC further argued that rising electricity tariffs, alongside unreliable supply, had increased the operating costs of manufacturers, small businesses and households already facing economic difficulties.

It insisted that Tinubu’s 2023 campaign declaration had established a clear condition for seeking re-election: delivering on his electricity promise or foregoing another mandate.

The council therefore challenged the APC to address the President’s commitment directly rather than attempt to dilute what it described as an unambiguous public pledge.

It added that the January 16, 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections would offer Nigerians an opportunity to assess the administration’s performance against its campaign promises.