APC defends Tinubu's estimated billing promise, cites power sector reforms
APC Presidential Campaign Council spokesperson Dele Alake defended President Tinubu's 2023 campaign pledge to end estimated electricity billing, arguing the promise must be judged alongside the qualification Tinubu attached—that Nigerians shouldn't re-elect him if he fails unless he provides adequate reasons.
At a 2023 Lagos meeting with the Organised Private Sector, Tinubu declared: "Whichever way, by all means necessary, you will have electricity, and you will not pay for estimated bills anymore." Alake said Sunday that a fair assessment requires considering the administration's power sector record since May 2023.
That record includes the Electricity Act 2023 (signed June 9, 2023), which lets states create their own electricity regulatory frameworks—Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna, and Niger have done so. The Presidential Metering Initiative has installed meters for over 1.5 million customers toward closing a 7-million-plus metering gap. A ₦4 trillion bond programme to settle verified GenCo and GasCo debts has raised ₦1.2 trillion so far. Transmission projects under the Presidential Power Initiative are advancing, with five TCN substations approved December 2024 and eight more plus four upgrades approved June 2026.
Alake acknowledged the ₦6 trillion+ inherited sector debt and said tariff adjustments were needed for financial viability, while exploring relief for low-income households. He noted equipment delivery timelines mean some investments take years to materialize.
As Tinubu seeks a second term, he'll present this power sector scorecard. The question for voters: Do the reforms and metering progress so far constitute adequate reasons if estimated billing persists, or does the unfulfilled core promise matter more?