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Former Rivers State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will restore electricity subsidies if elected president in 2027.
Amaechi made the claim on Thursday during ward visits across Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he delivered Atiku’s campaign message to residents.
He criticised the electricity tariff regime introduced under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, arguing that the removal of electricity subsidies had significantly increased the cost of power for consumers.
Illustrating the impact with his personal electricity bill, Amaechi claimed that his monthly payment had risen from N500,000 to N4 million.
«“My house electricity bill was N500,000; now I pay N4 million. Atiku said if he comes, I will go back to N500,000. No more Band A and B because government will subsidise it,” he said.»
Amaechi also faulted the Tinubu administration over the removal of the petrol subsidy, saying the policy had contributed to higher transportation costs and rising prices of food and other essential commodities.
“He (Tinubu) just held the microphone and didn’t care. He just said remove subsidy. Since he removed subsidy, transportation increased, food prices increased — tomatoes, corn, everything,” he said.
The former governor further linked the country’s worsening insecurity to the economic hardship confronting Nigerians, particularly farmers.
According to him, insecurity has restricted farmers’ access to their farmlands, with implications for food production and the cost of agricultural commodities.
“Insecurity also increased. You no even fit go farm, and government doesn’t care. Atiku said he will bring back subsidy. If Atiku brings back subsidy, everything will come down,” Amaechi said.
Nigeria’s electricity tariff structure is currently divided into service bands based on the minimum number of hours of electricity supply expected by customers.
Under the system, Band A customers are expected to receive a minimum of 20 hours of supply daily, while Bands B, C, D and E have progressively lower service thresholds and corresponding tariffs.
The differentiated tariff structure was introduced to align electricity charges with the quality and duration of supply, with customers receiving more reliable power paying higher tariffs.
The Federal Government, however, has indicated plans to gradually phase out electricity subsidies.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said on July 31 that the government planned to begin phasing out subsidy payments in the power sector from 2027.
The government has also said it spent N3.14 trillion on electricity subsidies between June 2023 and December 2025 to cushion the impact of tariff increases on consumers.
Amaechi’s comments come as electricity costs, fuel prices, inflation and insecurity remain prominent issues likely to shape political debates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
