Electricity: Cabal Threatened Me Over Power Reform- Adelabu

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu says some persons threatened him over his quest to reform the nation’s power sector.

The minister made the remark in Ibadan at the weekend while participating on a radio programme.

“Let me say this for the first time. I received threat calls” he said, because of the ongoing reform in the sector.

Under his watch, the nation’s electricity tariff has increased by over 300 percent, generating serious condemnation among not a few Nigerians.

The minister has also refused to revert the tariff despite the resolutions by the National Assembly to that effect.

But analysts in the sector say power has become relatively stable in the last few months, alluding the progress to the efforts by the ministry.

Adelabu however said resistance is normal because when you are trying to reform ‘”people (will) stand in your way, saboteurs and others.”

He said those that want to stop the reform in the power sector tried to bully him to submission, the same way they did to his predecessors, adding that some persons who want to ensure that the ongoing reform in the sector, are the ones sabotaging power infrastructure and platforms.

Under his supervision ,the minister said electricity generation has increase tremendously to over 5000mgw, adding that plan is underway to increase generation of 6000mgw by the end of the year.

He said, “I am the 49th power minister in the country. The past ministers were probably bullied and intimated in their work. It does not take ordinary people to blow up a power transmission substation with dynamites, and pull down a power line.

“It is an organised crime. It is a cabal and cartel. We are all Nigerians but we are all Nigerians, we will not run away from ourselves.

“We have raised the electricity generated capacity from 4,000MW to 5,155MW recorded on the 8th of August, 2024. In the past, it took the country over 25 years to achieve 2,000MW of power and it took between 1984 and today to achieve additional 2,000MW.

“When we resumed as minister, the electricity generated was 4,000MW and within a year, we have added over 1,000MW. Our target is to hit 6,000MW with the support of the Federal Government before the end of this year.”