Oredola Adeola
Amidst sweltering temperature and irregular power supply, there is a growing public demand in Nigeria for the dismissal of Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, as the heat shows no signs of abating predictably until June 2024, posing significant health risks.
The scorching weather in Nigeria, monitored by Advisors Reports, has seen daytime maximum temperatures reach 35°C in the shade, with an average of 8 hours of sunshine per day, exacerbating the challenges posed by persistent power shortages.
Many Nigerians believe that the Minister of Power has not performed effectively and has failed to implement adequate measures to address the dire state of electricity in the country.
This has further led to widespread dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, compounding the difficulties faced by Nigerians.
Citizens are therefore using the current state of affairs in the country to demand swift action to resolve the longstanding issues that have plagued the nation’s power sector.
As the situation continues to strain the daily lives of the population, the call for the dismissal of the Power Minister has gained momentum.
ELECTRICITY SUPPLY TREND IN LAST ONE WEEK
Advisors Report in the review of data obtained from the Nigerian Power System Operator, gathered that the power supply from electricity generation companies (GenCos) plummeted from peak 4,466.1 MegaWatts to 4,137.6MW between February 5, 2024, and February 12, 2024.
This has resulted in an average of 3,095MW being shared amongst all eleven electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) in the last week.
Shockingly, Abuja DisCo, Eko, and Ikeja received an average of 400MW each, while Yola and Jos DisCos received an average of 100MW or less in the last seven days.
This significant drop in electricity output has left many wondering about the future of power supply in the country.
SOCIAL MEDIA UPROAR
Citizens across social media platforms have voiced their discontent with the current state of the power sector in the country, urging the Power Minister to step down and allow for a more effective management of the nation’s electricity issues.
Under the hashtag #Adelabu, Netizens have specifically called for the resignation of Bayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, citing the significant deterioration of the electricity situation in Nigeria and the apparent lack of viable remedies.
The online community has appealed to President Tinubu for immediate and sustainable measures to be put in place to tackle the ongoing power crisis, emphasizing the need for decisive action to alleviate the hardships faced by the Nigerian populace and to reinstate faith in the power sector.
KemKem via @KemPatriot said, “There’s a growing desperation among saboteurs to remove HM Adelabu from his position.
“The power situation was significantly better before his appointment as the Minister of Power, and it’s hard to fathom the rapid deterioration except to attribute it to sabotage.
“Unfortunately, the lack of information regarding progress, actions, and inactions is exacerbating the issue.
“Constant power, or the lack thereof, impacts everyone. We need to know to be able to understand.”
Tolu Ogunlesi, via @toluogunlesi, encouraged Adelabu to embark on a tour of all the media platforms across the country to doing insightful shalaye(explanation).
He said, “Every opportunity he (Adelabu) has to deliver a speech, he should use it to explain and contextualise issues, as well as amplify ongoing and planned solutions.”
GIANT via @tomiwalker said, “Three years is a long time but it looks like Adelabu has killed any chance of becoming governor of Oyo.
“It would have been better for him to be out of power, where people can speculate about his competence than to be in power and remove all doubt about his incompetence.”
ASIWAJU via @The_socialistt, said “Adebayo Adelabu has been a complete shitshow as Minister of power. A collosal disgrace & failure of a human being.
YOU WANT TO BAMBAM? via @yobamzie said, “Guys, introducing the Minister of POWERLESSNESS and DARKNESS. Chief Adebayo Adelabu!
“He knows nothing about Electricity or Power Generation. He’s been a banker all his life. This is the reason the whole country is in DARKNESS! Tinubu, na u do this one.
Nejeeb Bello Oyarese via @NejeebBello, said, “The day Bayo Adelabu was appointed Minister of Power, I didn’t mince words in saying Nigerians should look another direction to see the light.
“Today, solar panels and inverters are twice their price in August 2023, but you’ll need them for sustainable electricity in Nigeria,” Oyarese concluded.