A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently address the worsening power supply and rising fuel costs across the country.
Speaking with journalists on Sunday in Osogbo, Oyintiloye, the former lawmaker, described the persistent electricity challenges as a major source of hardship for Nigerians and a setback to ongoing reforms in the power sector.
He lamented that despite repeated assurances and interventions by authorities, power supply has deteriorated, leaving households and businesses struggling to cope.
According to him, the situation has become more unbearable due to the current heatwave, with many homes unable to access electricity for basic cooling needs.
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Oyintiloye noted that the poor power supply is taking a toll on small-scale businesses, industrial operators, and households, many of whom cannot access up to three hours of electricity daily.
"It is a terrible situation across Nigeria, with persistent and worsening epileptic power supply," he said. "Despite numerous reforms and promises, the national grid continues to collapse."
He attributed the crisis to factors such as gas supply shortages, weak transmission infrastructure, and chronic underinvestment in the sector.
The APC chieftain urged the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, to take immediate steps to address the challenges and stabilise the grid.
He also appealed to the President to set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the recurring national grid failures and determine whether they are due to structural deficiencies or sabotage.
Oyintiloye warned that the worsening electricity situation has already triggered peaceful protests in parts of the country, cautioning that continued inaction could escalate tensions.
"The situation must be quickly addressed before it becomes a national embarrassment," he said. "Nigerians deserve to know the root cause of these failures."
He further stressed that the high cost of fuel has compounded the crisis, making it difficult for Nigerians who rely on generators as alternative power sources.
While acknowledging ongoing reforms by the Tinubu administration, Oyintiloye emphasised the need for urgent and decisive action to ease the burden on citizens and restore confidence in the power sector. (NAN)
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