HURIWA slams Buhari over constant grid collapse, says seven-year failure shameful

…demands power minister sacking over inefficiency

Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Monday, lambasted the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), over the constant collapse of the national power grid for the past seven years since he came into power in May 2015.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, described as shameful and sign of a failed leader, the widespread blackout that besiege Nigerians all the time due to the collapse of Nigeria’s electricity grid. HURIWA lamented that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is mishandling the electricity power sector like a bunch of infants groping in the dark and wondered what has become his campaign promises to revive the electricity power sector even as the Rights group has now asked President Muhammadu Buhari to restore the Power sector to the stage that it was in 2015 before his incompetent government came on board. 

The group demanded the sacking of the Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, for inefficiency especially with the fifth collapse of the national grid in 2022 alone.

There was widespread blackout across the country on Sunday following the collapse of the national power grid, making it the fifth this year alone. Many electricity distribution companies alerted their users in messages across social media.

It was learnt that the grid collapse on Sunday occurred around 6.49pm, leading to the shutdown of the outgoing electricity feeders of some power distribution companies.

Reacting, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “The recurring electricity power failure is unfortunate and totally avoidable. More saddening is the inability of President Muhammadu Buhari to put the right expert in place as minister due to nepotism and partisanship which is inevitably hurting and harming the citizens. 

“The World Bank just predicted that more Nigerians will fall into poverty and we think the deliberate failure of the Buhari’s administration to fix the electricity power sector due to endemic corruption will contribute massively to more joblessness as small and medium scale enterprises that rely on power supplies from the national grid will fold up and are already disengaging their staff.

“Despite the humongous amount spent on the power sector, no improvement has been made as corruption continues to cripple this vital sector.

“For instance, the Buhari government has spent over N1.7 trillion on the electricity sector since 2017. In September 2021, Buhari said that Nigeria needed over $400bn to fund its critical energy needs, according to a statement quoted by Bloomberg. 

“Also, according to the World Bank, the Buhari government has borrowed a total of N1.3tn since 2017 to ensure that generation companies continue generating electricity, adding that it would cost the Federal Government an additional N3.08tn through 2023, if current performance levels and low tariffs persist.

“Alternative source of energy is also a no-go area as artificial scarcity by corrupt middlemen dictate price of fuel. Now, diesel price per litre is at over N500 now, petrol price reaching N200 per litre, and soaring cooking gas at over 300 per cent, amongst others. This is despite that under Buhari, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has spent N100 billion on the rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries in 2021 despite not producing a single drop of oil.

“HURIWA call on the President to fire the heads of the different power sector related agencies including the inefficient and incompetent politician in the ministry of power as minister. Nigeria needs the best of hands; round pegs in round holes to solve the power quagmire for Nigeria to generate and distribute at least above 5,000 megawatts daily. Or did we offend God by bringing Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015 and 2019?”

June 13, 2022

Emmanuel Onwubiko

National Coordinator – HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA). 

SMK: A Man Whose Time Has Come

By

Sefinatu Umaru

Sunday Marshall Katung, also known as SMK, is a jurist, an astute businessman, consummate politician and philanthropist. He has worked in both the private and public sectors and has been a long standing, dedicated and loyal member of the esteemed People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He is a man with the burning desire to use his professional skills, experience and political sagacity to provide effective representation for the people of Kaduna South (otherwise known as Zone 3) Senatorial District at the National Assembly.

To achieve this goal, he traversed the length and breadth of the eight (8) local governments that make up Zone 3, meeting and consulting with various political stakeholders to sell his candidacy. He utilised social and traditional media, direct contact and reminded party faithful of his previous achievements as a former member of the Federal House of Representatives.

His efforts culminated in victory at the just concluded senatorial primaries. The primary was adjudged to be free and fair by all contesting candidates, delegates and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that was on hand to monitor the exercise.
There were unusual jubilations and backslapping by his supporters, well wishers and his campaign team comprising cerebral, disciplined, dedicated and hard working patriots.

Just as he and his team were returning to the drawing board to strategise for the election proper, however, news started filtering in that SMK induced delegates, had outstanding tax issues and delegates were not properly accreditated. These were initially brushed off as rumours, until surfacing of a letter written to the party leadership by some party members loyal to one of the defeated contestants.

First and foremost, SMK is an experienced lawyer who understands the implications of not filing taxes properly or evading taxes. As a politician seeking office he knows that proper tax filing is not only a mandatory requirement at least at the political party level but also a civic duty. Moreover, he is domiciled in Abuja, and therefore pays taxes to the Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS) who issued him a tax clearance certificate to that effect. Why KADIRS finds its way into a matter it has no jurisdiction over is curious and suspect.

Secondly, a politician does not need to induce voters to vote for him or her when he is amiable, charismatic and runs an issue based campaign focusing on pertinent issues plaguing his Constituency. SMK is a man of the people and has served the people of the zone both as a commissioner and federal legislator. So he is on ground.

And finally, delegates present had their membership cards and were verified before gaining entry to the venue, if it were not so, the election would not have held and his competitors (bar one) would not have congratulated him or conceded.

Knowing the capabilities of rival parties, it is unfortunate that the PDP in Zone 3 instead of uniting and putting its best foot forward, members are conniving to bring down an extremely popular candidate with frivolous petitions and allegations.

I find it curious that the contents of the letter found its way to a petitioner against SMK from the camp of one of the contestants. This happens to give credence to the suspicion that at least a staff of the agency is fully involved in the conspiracy to rubbish the integrity of the senatorial candidate. This is a sad development for the Senatorial District, not just for SMK whose time God has made to come.

It is also sad that a government agency with no jurisdiction on the matteris being used as a tool to witch hunt an illustrious son of Southern Kaduna.

Delegates have spoken. A significant portion of stakeholders and party members are behind SMK.

For SMK, he will surmount this particular challenge as his time has come to contest for the senatorial seat of Zone 3, and by the Grace of God, He will march to victory come February 2023.