The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has defended President Bola Tinubu over his 2023 campaign promise to end estimated electricity billing and guarantee stable power supply, accusing critics of taking his remarks out of context.
The council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, said in a statement on Sunday that Tinubu’s pledge, made while addressing members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) in Lagos ahead of the 2023 general election, had been misrepresented in recent commentaries.
Tinubu had promised Nigerians that they would enjoy electricity without paying estimated bills, declaring that “a promise made will be a promise kept.”
He had, however, added that Nigerians should not vote for him for a second term if he failed to fulfil the pledge, unless he provided adequate reasons for his inability to deliver.
Alake argued that critics had deliberately ignored the concluding part of the president’s statement, insisting that his commitment should be assessed alongside the reforms and investments undertaken by his administration since assuming office in 2023.
The APC spokesperson cited the signing of the Electricity Act 2023 on June 9, less than two weeks after Tinubu took office, as one of the administration’s major interventions in the power sector.
According to him, the legislation allows state governments to participate independently in electricity generation, transmission and distribution, opening up opportunities for increased private sector investment.
He listed Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna and Niger as states that have established electricity regulatory agencies to take advantage of the new legal framework.
On the metering challenge, Alake said the administration introduced the Presidential Metering Initiative to address a backlog of more than seven million unmetered electricity customers.
He claimed that over 1.5 million customers had been metered under the programme in the last three years.
The council also highlighted efforts to address more than ₦6 trillion in legacy debts accumulated between 2015 and 2025, through a ₦4 trillion bond programme aimed at settling verified obligations to electricity generation companies and gas suppliers.
Alake said the first and second tranches of the programme had raised more than ₦1.2 trillion towards settling outstanding debts owed to 21 generation companies and gas suppliers.
He further listed investments in transmission substations, grid expansion and renewable energy as part of efforts to improve electricity supply across the country.
According to him, the Rural Electrification Agency has connected universities, hospitals and rural communities to solar power, while plans are underway to modernise the Osogbo Grid Control Centre and construct an East-West super grid.
On transmission infrastructure, Alake said the administration reviewed the Presidential Power Initiative inherited from the late President Muhammadu Buhari and signed an acceleration agreement with its German partners in December 2023.
He added that the Federal Executive Council approved five Transmission Company of Nigeria substations for upgrades in December 2024, while further approvals in June 2026 covered the construction of eight new substations and the upgrading of four existing facilities.
The APC spokesperson also defended the administration’s electricity tariff adjustments, saying the introduction of different service bands and movement towards cost-reflective tariffs were designed to improve the financial stability of distribution companies while protecting low-income households.
Despite the measures, Alake acknowledged that efforts to resolve Nigeria’s longstanding electricity crisis were still ongoing.
He maintained, however, that Tinubu remained committed to his campaign promise and would present his administration’s achievements and outstanding challenges to Nigerians ahead of the next presidential election.
“As he seeks Nigerians’ mandate for a second term in office, he will proudly present his scorecard in the power sector and clearly tell Nigerians what remains to be done,” he said.
Nigeria’s electricity sector has continued to grapple with inadequate generation, transmission constraints, distribution challenges and persistent complaints over estimated billing, leaving the administration under pressure to translate its reforms and financial commitments into reliable electricity for households and businesses.
APC Defends Tinubu Over 2023 Electricity Promise
