The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has challenged President Bola Tinubu to account for his 2023 electricity pledge, insisting that Nigerians should judge his administration by its performance.
The council was reacting to comments by Dele Alake, spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, seeking to clarify Tinubu’s promise that Nigerians should not re-elect him if he failed to deliver electricity during his first term.
In a statement, ADC-PCC Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the President’s declaration was unambiguous.
According to him, Tinubu told Nigerians during the 2023 campaign: “Don’t vote for me for second term if I fail to deliver electricity.”
Ologbondiyan said attempts to reinterpret the statement through selective quotations and elaborate explanations would not erase the President’s commitment.
He argued that Nigerians should assess the administration’s electricity record against that promise.
The council said households and businesses were still grappling with unreliable power supply and rising electricity bills.
It also criticised the continued use of estimated billing, arguing that many consumers were paying for electricity without adequate metering.
On the introduction of tariff bands, including Bands A, B and C, the ADC-PCC said higher charges had not translated into dependable electricity supply.
It further claimed that some hospitality businesses had resorted to rationing electricity for guests during daytime hours to reduce operating costs.
The council also questioned the effectiveness of the Presidential Metering Initiative, alleging that many consumers remained exposed to estimated bills imposed by distribution companies.
It dismissed the administration’s reliance on the Electricity Act and bond programmes as evidence of progress, insisting that legislation and financial arrangements could not replace actual power supply.
“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 also cited persistent outages, national grid collapses and inadequate supply as continuing challenges for households, manufacturers and small businesses.
It maintained that Tinubu’s own campaign declaration provided the standard for evaluating his administration’s performance.
The council urged the APC to address the electricity question directly rather than attempt to dilute the President’s public commitment.
It said the January 16, 2027 election would give Nigerians an opportunity to assess the administration’s record against its promises.