Nigerians are calling for the resignation of Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu due to an 11-day blackout affecting Northern states. Despite government assurances of restoration, outages persist following vandalism of the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line.
Nigerians are expressing outrage and calling for the dismissal of Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu following an extended blackout that has affected Northern states for over 11 days. The crisis, which began on October 21, 2024, has left citizens in darkness after insurgents vandalized the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line.
In interviews with DAILY POST, prominent figures like Kunle Olubiyo, President of the Nigeria Consumer Protection Network, and Eze Onyekpere, Lead Director of the Centre for Social Justice, condemned the situation as a national embarrassment. They urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take decisive action by removing Adelabu from his post and reforming the power sector.
The blackout is impacting approximately 15 states in the North East and North West regions, affecting businesses and daily life. While President Tinubu has directed Adelabu and relevant agencies to expedite the restoration of power, darkness persists, causing growing frustration among residents.
Adelabu, however, assured that power would be restored within five days. This follows earlier promises from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), which had indicated that temporary power supply would resume through the Ugwuaji APIR 330kV Line. Despite these assurances, residents remain skeptical, as the situation has yet to improve.
Olubiyo has called for an emergency intervention in the power sector, advocating for the decentralization of the national grid into ten industrial hubs to enhance efficiency. He criticized the institutional corruption and inefficiency plaguing TCN, calling for both Adelabu and TCN's Managing Director Sule Abdulaziz to step aside for a thorough investigation.
Meanwhile, Adelabu's spokesperson, Tunji Bolaji, stated that the federal government is working diligently to restore electricity to the affected regions. He emphasized the importance of community vigilance to protect infrastructure from vandalism, noting that security efforts are underway to safeguard critical facilities.
As the blackout continues, residents of Kaduna and other Northern states are bearing the brunt of the power outage, grappling with economic losses amid rising fuel prices and inflation. The situation raises concerns about the government's ability to effectively manage the country's power infrastructure and respond to emergencies.
