According to Tolu Bankole, a member of the APC’s National Working Committee, it will take a person with grit and determination, like Bola Tinubu, the party’s presidential candidate, to resurrect the power industry and guarantee that Nigerians have consistent access to electricity.
Bankole made the audacious assertion in a statement released on Wednesday, urging Tinubu to assist in stabilizing the country’s power situation by building on the solid foundation set by the President, Pres Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari had during the budget presentation on Friday highlighted the transformational strides that have been made in Nigeria’s challenging power sector including the Siemens Power Programme with the German government under which over $2b will be invested in the transmission grid.
Bankole said, “No one is better prepared to sustain these gains than an APC administration led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In a pioneering feat in 2000, Tinubu partnered with AES Nigeria to build an Independent Power Plant to generate 270MW for Lagos residents.
“The power generated was consumed locally but later transmitted to the national grid due to some challenges in the operational framework in the energy sector.
“With a Tinubu President in 2023, the new administration will continue his trail-blazing partnership and encourage active private sector involvement in the generation and distribution of electricity. Energy experts have revealed that with the required maintenance and monitoring, state electricity markets will undoubtedly influence an increase in GDP growth of 12 per cent.”
Bankole, who is also the National Leader of Persons With Disabilities in APC admitted that Nigeria has made some level of progress in significant investments that have led to an incremental 4,000MW of power-generating assets including Zungeru Hydro, Kashimbila Hydro, Afam III Fast Power, Kudenda Kaduna Power Plant, Okpai Phase 2 Plant, Dangote Refinery Power Plant and others.
He further disclosed that the APC candidate will emphasise generation of an environmentally friendly power in different parts of the country taking advantage of the natural endowment and peculiarities of each state in tandem with the call for state electricity markets.
“A vote for Tinubu presidency in 2023 General elections is a vote for competency in solving the endemic power sector crisis once and for all in a manner that will lead to comprehensive, affordable, available, safe and constant power for Nigerian homes, investments and industries,” he said.
