Tinubu Has Demonstrated Desire to Take on Power Sector Cabal, Says Suswam

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

A former Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Gabriel Suswam, has said by allowing the removal of the subsidy on petroleum products, President Bola Tinubu has shown that he has the gut and capacity to take on the cabal in the power sector.

Suswam, delivered the assessment yesterday, on Arise Television Morning Show, when he commenting on the 2023 Electricity Act that was recently assented to by the President.

The former Governor of Benue State said from the way and action taken so far by the current president, he appeared like someone who was serious about power reforms and is determined to take on the cabal in the sector.

According to Suswam, having removed fuel subsidy, Tinubu would now ensure that the power sector was also refocused by taking on the cabal within the power sector, “who are fewer than the ones that were in the oil sector.”

“I believe that once there is stability of power supply in this country, whatever decision the president takes, Nigerians will be behind him irrespective of whoever is involved. It is for him to maintain a focus and a determination to give Nigerians power and bring back the industries that have existed in the country. 

“If he decides he wants to give Nigerians consistent electricity supply, who are the cabals? But let us not play politics with it like his predecessor, President Buhari, who made very little achievements as far as power is concerned,” Suswam said.

He noted that although Buhari signed the amendment of the constitution which allowed power generation to move from exclusive list to concurrent list, the most consequential piece of legislation was the one passed by the National Assembly and assented to by President Tinubu that has set the ground rule for the operation in the power sector.

Suswam, opined that the Electricity Act would change the dynamics in power generation in Nigeria, set the rules for how states and individuals would be involved in the power sector and ensure more investments, jobs, industries and enhanced GDP in the country.

He added that following the signing of the consequential Act any state could generate, transmit and distribute power by setting their own rules and partnering investors.

“Once we do that the issue of every person being on the National Grid might not necessarily hold again. But this is capital intensive and you have very few states that can start. Lagos for instance seems well prepared, Akwa is also prepared and I can see that Rivers has started it. Kaduna I am told have some legislation in place for them to activate what now has been passed. For us to be able to achieve 70 per cent we must allow people to generate and transmit at their own level,” Suswam said.