A former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Federal Government over the increased electricity tariff; describing the development as ill-timed and ill-advised.
Atiku made his reservations known on the development on Thursday, September 3, 2020.
Equally important, Atiku who was the Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 polls; took to his verified handle on the micro-blogging site, Twitter to condemn the tariff hike.
‘‘I reject the increased electricity tariffs. Coming out of the lockdown, Nigerians need a stimulus, not an impetuous disregard for the challenges they face. Many Nigerians have not earned an income for months, due to no fault of theirs. This increase is ill-timed and ill-advised,’’ Atiku had tweeted to his three million followers.
Equally important, 1st News had reported that a new electricity tariff had come into force September, 1st. However, the development has drawn widespread criticisms from a cross-section of Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to take decisive action on the plan by DISCOs to hike electricity tariff in the country.
Ayuba Wabba, the NLC President on Tuesday, September 1, in Abuja made the call in a statement titled: “Increase in Electricity Tariff by Abuja DISCOs – a taunting of the will of the Nigerian people gone too far”.
Wabba said that the organised labour would mobilise Nigerian workers to resist the increase in electricity tariff by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), effective from September 1.
Wabba said that the NLC condemned the alleged “deaf and dumb” posture of the state electricity regulators – the NERC.
“We wish to state that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) seriously frowns at; completely condemns; and totally rejects any plan to inflict further pain on Nigerians at this very time of great economic distress.”
