The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has pledged that Nigerians will enjoy stable and affordable electricity if his party wins the 2027 general election.
Speaking through a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku explained how an ADC government plans to improve electricity supply across the country.
According to the former Vice President, the country can overcome its long-standing power problems by moving away from depending mainly on large, centralised power plants. He said an ADC administration would adopt a wider approach by developing different energy sources, including hydro, gas and solar power, while also improving electricity transmission and distribution. He added that private investors would be encouraged to take part in expanding the sector to ensure reliable and affordable electricity for homes and businesses.
Atiku also criticised the current administration of President Bola Tinubu, arguing that it took the government almost three years to begin pursuing policies that had been discussed many years earlier. He maintained that reforms in the power sector should have come before any increase in electricity tariffs, saying consumers were made to pay higher costs before improvements were introduced.
The former Vice President recalled that during his time in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, he opposed plans that placed too much reliance on gas-fired power generation. He said he has consistently believed for more than two decades that Nigeria needs a mix of different energy sources instead of depending heavily on one option.
He further stated that the country has invested billions of dollars in the electricity sector over the years without achieving the expected results because of poor implementation of policies. According to him, Nigeria has never lacked workable ideas for fixing the power sector, but has struggled with putting the right plans into action at the right time.
Atiku said an ADC government would focus on carrying out practical reforms that would improve electricity generation, strengthen infrastructure and make power more accessible to Nigerians. He added that while it is still possible to adopt the right policies, citizens should not have had to wait years or bear higher electricity costs before meaningful reforms were considered.