Atiku Accuses Tinubu of Breaking Electricity Promise
- Atiku Abubakar accused the APC Presidential Campaign Council of hiding Tinubu's power failures behind a list of laws, bonds and committees
- The ADC presidential candidate said Tinubu's administration has not built a single new generation infrastructure to increase Nigeria's power capacity
- Atiku's camp raised questions about what will happen to electricity bills when the government ends subsidies in 2027
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - The ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has attacked the APC Presidential Campaign Council, accusing it of trying to cover up President Bola Tinubu's failure to deliver on his electricity promises through a series of announcements about legislation, bonds and committees.
Atiku recalled a specific pledge Tinubu made during his 2022 campaign: "If I don't give you constant electricity for four years, when I come back for a second term, don't vote for me."
Source: Facebook
The former vice president said Nigerians had lived through those four years and did not need the campaign council to interpret that commitment for them.
Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, made this known in a statement issued on Sunday, November 1, 2026 and made available to Legit.ng.
Bonds and laws cannot replace power
The ADC presidential candidate said Tinubu's administration had floated a multitrillion naira bond programme to settle legacy debts owed to electricity generation companies, but had not shown how that financial intervention translated into steady power for homes and businesses.
He said paying old debts was not the same as building new power infrastructure.
"Dele Alake's statement cannot light a home. Signing a law is not electricity. Raising a bond is not electricity. Approving a project is not power delivered," Atiku said in the statement.
He also pointed to the burden already facing Nigerian households under the current electricity band system, noting that Band A customers pay about ₦209.50 per unit before VAT, while other bands carry their own rates depending on the state and electricity provider.
Atiku said the same hardship cuts across every band, with bills arriving even when power does not.
Subsidy removal and future tariffs
Atiku raised concern over the government's plan to end electricity subsidies from 2027, saying Nigerians deserved a clear answer on what would happen to their bills once the subsidy was removed, even as officials insisted there would be no immediate tariff increase.
He also flagged the Nigeria Tax Act provision for a five per cent surcharge on certain fossil fuels, including petrol and diesel.
Atiku said the government had acknowledged the surcharge had not yet been activated but would require a ministerial order to take effect.
Atiku said he would work with state governments and regulators to replace the current band system with what he described as a fair, transparent and affordable framework that holds power companies accountable for electricity actually delivered.
"No family should have to weigh the cost of electricity against the cost of food," he said. "No business should be left to pay more while receiving less."
Legit.ng reported that the Federal Government plans to generate 70,000MW of electricity by 2060 to meet Nigeria’s growing energy needs.
Source: Twitter
Atiku reacts to Tinubu's scheduled Mecca trip
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Atiku accused Tinubu of using his announced Umrah pilgrimage as cover for a trip to France.
The ADC presidential candidate called on the Presidency to release date-stamped photos and videos of Tinubu at the Kaaba each day.
Atiku also raised questions about the President's health and a reported $20 billion loan request linked to a French business partner.
Source: Legit.ng
