The Presidency has dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu promised not to seek a second term if he failed to improve electricity supply across Nigeria, insisting that the President’s comments on the power sector have been taken out of context.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu never made an unconditional commitment to abandon re-election plans if electricity challenges persisted.
Onanuga explained that critics frequently cite only part of the President’s statement made during a business luncheon in December 2022, before the 2023 general election, without considering the full context of his remarks.
According to him, Tinubu had expressed confidence in his ability to improve electricity supply while also acknowledging the possibility of encountering challenges inherited from previous administrations.
“He said he would provide Nigerians with power and also address the issue of estimated billing,” Onanuga stated, adding that the administration had already made progress in tackling metering challenges by encouraging electricity distribution companies to provide meters to consumers.
Responding to suggestions that Tinubu had told Nigerians not to vote for him again if power supply did not improve, Onanuga maintained that the President’s words had been misinterpreted.
The presidential aide highlighted several initiatives undertaken since Tinubu assumed office, including the signing of the Electricity Act, which grants states greater authority to generate, transmit and distribute electricity.
He described the legislation as a significant reform capable of fostering competition and expanding investment opportunities within the power sector.
According to Onanuga, several states have already begun leveraging the new framework, a development he said would contribute to a more open and competitive electricity market.
He also pointed to government efforts to close the country’s metering gap and reduce reliance on estimated billing, describing the issue as one of the longstanding problems confronting electricity consumers.
While admitting that power supply has not yet reached the level envisioned by the administration, Onanuga attributed the situation to structural challenges inherited over the years.
He noted that despite Nigeria’s installed generation capacity of approximately 13,500 megawatts, issues such as inadequate gas supply, legacy debts owed to gas companies and aging transmission infrastructure continue to hinder performance.
“The transmission grid is outdated, but that is part of the reforms that need to be put in place,” he said.
Onanuga added that the Federal Government is pursuing additional reforms aimed at improving generation, transmission and distribution across the electricity value chain.
He reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to strengthening the power sector and delivering improved electricity supply to Nigerians despite existing challenges.
