By BONIFACE AKARAH

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to explain why his administration has failed to deliver reliable electricity despite making a 24-hour power supply a major campaign promise.

The association also called for an independent audit of the electricity sector and questioned the competence and political considerations behind appointments to key power-sector institutions.

The demands were contained in a statement issued on November 8, 2026, and signed by HURIWA National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko.

HURIWA said Nigerians were still experiencing prolonged blackouts, erratic electricity supply and what it described as excessive electricity bills, despite repeated assurances from the Federal Government that the situation would improve.

The association recalled Tinubu’s campaign promise to provide 24-hour electricity and questioned whether the commitment remained binding on his administration.

“HURIWA therefore asked whether the President still considers that promise binding or whether it was merely another political declaration designed to secure electoral support,” the statement said.

The group also reacted to the recent explanation by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, that electricity shortages were linked to scheduled maintenance at the Egbin Power Station and gas supply constraints affecting thermal power plants.

According to HURIWA, the minister’s assurance that affected generating units would be restored within 48 to 72 hours did not address what it described as the deeper vulnerability of Nigeria’s power system to recurring disruptions.

“Nigerians deserve a power sector managed through strategic planning, competent leadership, transparent investment and effective regulation, rather than repeated assurances that electricity would improve after every major disruption,” the association said.

HURIWA questioned why technical competence and professional experience should not be the overriding considerations in appointments to key positions in the electricity sector.

It asked whether political patronage, party loyalty and political affiliation had been allowed to overshadow merit in the selection of officials responsible for managing the industry.

“The power sector is too important to be treated as a reward system for political loyalists or an avenue for accommodating persons based on ethnic, personal or political considerations,” HURIWA said.

The association called for the appointment of a proven electricity-sector technocrat with experience across generation, transmission, distribution, gas supply and regulatory reforms, arguing that technical leadership would demonstrate a commitment to addressing the complexity of the sector.

It, however, acknowledged that appointing a technocrat alone would not resolve all the structural problems confronting the electricity industry.

HURIWA also questioned the apparent lack of effective accountability mechanisms around the huge public resources committed to the power sector over the years, specifically mentioning the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The association demanded a comprehensive and independent audit covering power-sector expenditure, contracts, abandoned projects, transmission infrastructure and financial obligations to determine why successive administrations had committed substantial resources without corresponding improvements in electricity supply.

It also raised questions over the reported release of 98 out of 300 containers of transmission equipment allegedly stranded at the ports for nearly two decades.

“HURIWA said the Federal Government must explain the ownership, procurement history, financial implications and responsibilities surrounding the equipment, rather than presenting its release as sufficient evidence of progress,” the statement said.

The association further called for stronger protection of electricity consumers against estimated or inflated bills, particularly in areas experiencing prolonged power outages.

HURIWA urged Tinubu to publicly explain the failure to translate the 24-hour electricity promise into a measurable national power programme, conduct an urgent performance assessment of the Ministry of Power and relevant electricity-sector institutions, and ensure that appointments are based on competence, technical expertise, integrity and proven performance.

It also called for measurable targets for electricity generation, transmission and distribution, with defined timelines and consequences for persistent failure.

HURIWA warned that the power crisis had consequences beyond household inconvenience, saying prolonged electricity shortages threatened employment, industrial productivity, education, healthcare delivery and the survival of small and medium-scale businesses.

“Nigeria deserves electricity, not endless explanations. The time has come for President Tinubu to demonstrate that his government is serious about ending the power sector crisis,” the association said.