Atiku Questions Tinubu on Electricity as Kwankwaso Urges Him to Step Aside

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Bola Tinubu about his record on electricity. This challenge came on Sunday when Atiku suggested that Nigeria should replace its tariff-band system.

Atiku made this statement after the All Progressives Congress (APC) defended President Tinubu’s failure to deliver on his 2023 campaign promise for reliable electricity and to end estimated billing.

In a statement by campaign spokesperson Dele Alake, the APC said that Tinubu’s promise should be viewed alongside his commitment to explain any shortcomings before looking for a second term.

The APC highlighted the Electricity Act 2023, metering programs, investments in transmission, regulatory reforms at the state level, and a ₦4 trillion bond plan meant to settle verified debts in the power sector.

They also claimed that over 1.5 million electricity customers have been metered during this administration.

Atiku rejected this defense in a response from Phrank Shaibu, the Director of Strategic Communication for the ADC Presidential Campaign Council. "The APC should spare Nigerians the spectacle of celebrating paperwork while homes and businesses remain in darkness," he said.

He pointed out that power outages and estimated billing are still issues despite the government’s efforts. He also questioned the fairness of the current tariff-band system.

Under this system, consumers pay different rates based on how many hours of electricity they are expected to receive. Atiku noted that Band A customers often pay around ₦209.50 per kilowatt-hour before value-added tax, even when the supply is not reliable.

He also expressed concern about the administration’s plan to end electricity subsidies from 2027 and how this could affect household bills. His alternative suggestion involves collaborating with state governments and regulators to replace the tariff bands with a pricing method more linked to actual electricity delivered.

However, his proposal does not come with a tariff formula, subsidy plan, or cost estimates. The positions from APC and Atiku address different parts of the electricity issue. The APC focuses on laws, infrastructure, and debt management, while Atiku wants to change consumer pricing.

Neither the government’s efforts nor a different tariff structure can guarantee that households will get more reliable electricity. Regulatory records on metering, service hours, and distribution performance would give a clearer picture of the APC’s claims. Atiku’s campaign now needs to clarify how its alternative would impact consumer bills and the revenue of electricity providers.

Meanwhile, Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has questioned Atiku’s candidacy based on regional grounds. Speaking to journalists in Kano on Sunday, Kwankwaso urged Atiku to step down for Peter Obi, the NDC candidate.

Kwankwaso argued that the South has not completed its turn under Nigeria’s informal agreement for rotating the presidency between the North and South. He said keeping to this agreement is important for national unity. He also criticized the ADC for choosing a northern presidential candidate.

This public disagreement could create challenges for cooperation between the two parties. Any talks about a joint presidential ticket would have to deal with their different views on zoning. This principle is political and not constitutional. Nigeria’s Constitution does not reserve the presidency for any region, and Atiku can still run if he meets the necessary electoral requirements.

Neither Atiku nor the ADC had responded to Kwankwaso’s comments by the time of this report. The situation also comes as Atiku’s campaign faces complaints from within the ADC about how established party officials are involved in election preparations.

A Sunday PUNCH investigation revealed that ADC officials in the South-west have raised concerns that Atiku’s associates are organizing campaign activities without involving established party structures enough.

These concerns were discussed during a meeting with ADC National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola in Ibadan on September 4. Atiku later met with officials online and asked for five nominees from each of the six South-west states for campaign roles.

Some officials said these discussions did not solve their complaints. Adewole Ijaogbomo, chairman of ADC local government chairmen in Lagos, claimed recognized officials are being sidelined. Some chairmen who went to Abuja for a meeting on September 17 also complained they received no transport support.

Mr Shaibu disputed the claim that South-west ADC officials had been excluded from state councils of the campaign. In a response to PREMIUM TIMES, he said none of the six South-west state campaign councils have been formally set up yet.

"It would therefore be inaccurate to describe anyone as having been excluded from councils that are not yet in place," he said. He confirmed that nominees had been requested but could not provide a complete record of submissions from the six states. No date for appointments has been announced yet.

ADC South-west Chairman Akin Omole and Lagos Chairman George Ashiru also denied claims of a serious organizational crisis. In a further response to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday evening, Mr Shaibu said Atiku respects ADC’s structures and is committed to involving party officials in his campaign.

"Atiku is a team player who respects the party and its structures," he said. "The purpose of building a campaign structure is to bring people together and build a strong team that can win the election."

He added that Atiku needs the support of party leaders, stakeholders, and members across the country. The campaign’s responses did not say when state councils would be inaugurated or how officials who felt sidelined would be involved in ongoing campaign activities.

Mr Shaibu’s explanation addresses the claim of exclusion from formally set councils. It does not resolve the separate complaint about how campaign activities are being organized ahead of those appointments. PREMIUM TIMES has not received a response from ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi by the time of this report.

This disagreement comes just before the party’s presidential campaign launch in Sokoto on Wednesday, November 4. The event was postponed from October 31, with the party citing planning and coordination issues.

Preparations have also been marked by allegations of interference, including a reported confrontation involving ADC governorship candidate Manir Dan’iya. Both Atiku and former Sokoto governor Aminu Tambuwal condemned the reported incident and called for an investigation.

The Sokoto APC denied claims of politically motivated interference, while the police said they are looking into it. The confrontation was said to have occurred on Friday. The reactions and calls for security did not indicate another attack on Sunday.

The ADC is also facing a separate challenge from a faction linked to Nafiu Gombe, which announced a North-west campaign council on Saturday. That announcement did not change INEC’s recognition of the party’s leadership or presidential candidate.

Wednesday’s launch will bring the campaign’s organizational and security concerns to light as Atiku aims to focus on his policy proposals.