Residents of Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency in Ebonyi State have issued a strong warning to politicians and aspirants, insisting that restoring electricity to the area must come before any talk of the 2027 elections.
The demand was made by a coalition of civil society groups, including Afikpo Intelligentsia in the Diaspora (AID), RestoreAfikpoLight Campaigners Abroad, and Odinma Afikpo Group (OAG), directed at key political figures such as Iduma Igariwey and Deputy Governor Patricia Obila.
The groups were reacting to comments by Igariwey, who stated that lawmakers are not responsible for funding power projects and dismissed criticisms over the prolonged blackout in the area.
Leaders of the coalition argued that existing laws, including the 1999 Constitution and recent electricity acts, empower lawmakers to push for action from relevant agencies.
They expressed frustration that Afikpo has remained without electricity for over two decades and said stronger legislative steps should have been taken.
Parts of the statement read, “We strongly commend him however that in the year 2020, our lawmaker, the same Hon. Igariwey, had caused an appearance to be made before the House Committee on Power, summoning the leadership of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN) to a public hearing wherein he poured out the anger and frustration of his constituents over the nearly two decades of darkness in his community.
“However, we were thoroughly disappointed that nearly six years after the 2020 ‘summon’ of TCN, no words have ever come from the lawmaker regarding a follow up on the darkness that has become a deeply growing concern among his constituents he has represented for about 12 unbroken years.”
The groups maintained that the lack of progress on electricity supply remains unacceptable and should be addressed as a priority.
