Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate for 2023, has expressed concerns about Nigeria’s persistent issues with unreliable electricity and frequent failures of the national grid.
The former Vice President criticized the ongoing power outages affecting the Southeast, Northwest, and Northeast regions, which have lasted for three weeks. He insisted that the relevant ministries and departments must take swift action to restore power to these affected areas.
In a post on his official X.com account on Saturday, Atiku mentioned that his policy document, “My Covenant with Nigerians,” outlines a comprehensive plan to tackle Nigeria’s long-standing power issues.
He stated, “Specifically regarding the circumstances in the Southeast and the states of the Northwest and Northeast that have faced total blackouts for three weeks, every government agency responsible for addressing this issue must urgently work to restore electricity to these troubled regions. I believe my proposed solution, detailed in my policy document, is the most effective strategy to lift our country out of chronic darkness.”
Atiku also advocated for the decentralization of electricity, arguing that states should have the authority to generate, transmit, and distribute power independently. He highlighted the necessity for improved transmission and distribution infrastructure to deliver the additional energy produced.
He urged, “There is an urgent need to remove the entire electricity value chain from the exclusive list and empower states to manage their electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. I strongly believe that disputes between the Federal Government and any region should not disrupt industrial activities elsewhere in the country.
“As we seek to invest in additional generation, we must also focus on developing the necessary transmission and distribution systems to effectively transport the extra energy produced. Given that energy resources vary across the nation, our approach should include a balanced mix of renewable sources (like hydro, solar, wind, and biofuels) and non-renewable sources (such as coal and gas).
“I reiterate my previous recommendation to promote private investment in the development of multiple greenfield mini-grid transmission systems that can be integrated into the super-grid over the medium to long term,” he concluded.
