The Minister of State for Power, Hajiya Zainab Kuchi, did not say evil spirits were behind Nigeria's power failure, Greyne Anosike, Deputy Director/Head of Media of the Federal Ministry of Power, said yesterday.

The minister has come under criticisms over the said statement in the media.

But in a statement he personally signed yesterday, Anosike said "I want to categorically inform the general public and individuals who have desired to create mischief out of this statement that the Honourable Minister, Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi never made this statement for which she has been painfully and regrettably castigated.

"I, as the Deputy Director/Head of Media in the Ministry was the person who made this statement and not the Honourable Minister of State for Power. It should also be noted that at the time this remark was made, (27th November, 2012, during an interactive session with some South African investors), the Honourable Minister of State was only three weeks old in the ministry.

"I also will like to painfully observe that the context within which I made this statement was either erroneously or deliberately ignored by a section of the media and those individuals who desired to exploit this very opportunity to achieve narrow objectives.

"I made this remark in question bearing in mind the perceived jinx that seems to trail genuine efforts of successive governments, but in particular the impressive efforts of the present administration."