Atiku Slams Tinubu

Atiku says tariff hike comes without notice or plan to cushion impact
Criticizes government for piling misery on Nigerians after fuel subsidy removal
Calls for revisiting power sector privatization, sequencing reforms better

Eko Hot Blog reports that the former Vice President of Nigeria and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has accused the government of President Bola Tinubu of unleashing reforms without thinking of the end-game.

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Atiku, in a statement on Friday, lamented that the recent increase in electricity tariff by the government is ill-timed and would add to the pains of Nigerians. “As usual, the government is unleashing another dose of reforms without adequate notice and without an adequate post-reform plan to mitigate the pain.”

He lamented that Nigerians are already experiencing a lot with the removal of the petrol subsidy and attendant inflationary inconveniences, hence, adding the increase in electricity tariff shows the government doesn’t have a human face. “The increase in electricity tariff comes at a time when Nigerian citizens are going through excruciating difficulties occasioned by the withdrawal of subsidy on PMS and floating of the domestic currency.”

The former Vice President advised President Tinubu to always ensure the reforms are sequenced, implement measures to mitigate the pain, and hold the NERC responsible for ensuring improved service delivery.

“It is important that we understand the root cause of the inefficiencies in the power sector before unleashing another dose of reforms. It is time to revisit the privatization exercise that produced the DISCOs.