Obasanjo Blocked My Efforts to Distribute Electricity to Akwa Ibom After Building Power Plant — Attah

Former Akwa Ibom Governor Victor Attah alleges that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo prevented him from distributing electricity to the state despite constructing a power plant.

Obong Victor Attah, the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, has claimed that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo prevented him from supplying electricity to the residents of this South-South state following the completion of a 191 megawatts power generation facility.

Attah, who served as the governor of Akwa Ibom from May 1999 to May 2007 and during Obasanjo’s tenure as Nigeria’s democratically elected president, stated that at the time, President Obasanjo directed that electricity produced by the Akwa Ibom power plant be integrated into the national grid.

The 80-year-old appeared as a guest on the Friday episode of “Inside Sources with Laolu Akande,” a socio-political program broadcasted on Channels Television.

Attah criticized the existing constitution and structure in the country, suggesting that a new constitution and federal arrangement would empower federating units to have equal authority rather than being subordinate.

He stated that the current system, known as the Constitution, is authoritarian because it was established by military force. “We need to return to a consensual constitution created by our founding fathers at Independence,” he remarked, expressing disappointment that President Bola Tinubu has yet to initiate efforts toward establishing true federalism in Nigeria.

The former governor mentioned, “I made the decision to supply power to Akwa Ibom state. However, the president insisted that it was the responsibility of the Federal Government to provide electricity for the entire country. Despite this, I remained committed and eventually succeeded in constructing a power station there. When he visited, I could tell he appreciated my efforts as he officially inaugurated our power station. Yet afterward, upon returning to Abuja, a law was introduced stipulating that those who generate electricity cannot distribute it.”

“I utilized Akwa Ibom’s funds to construct the plant, yet I’m unable to supply power directly to the people of Akwa Ibom. Instead, I have no choice but to feed it into the frequently unreliable National Grid. That’s how it concluded.”

Akwa Ibom State, similar to other states, doesn’t have a continuous 24-hour power supply. This was my vision for Akwa Ibom; achieving it would likely have inspired several other states to do the same.

Interestingly, just this morning I was reading the papers and came across a statement by our esteemed Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala suggesting that we should decentralize power generation and distribution. That’s what I had attempted to do, but due to our flawed federal system, my efforts were thwarted. Such obstacles shouldn’t occur in a genuine federal arrangement.

Attah mentioned that he was affiliated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the time, suggesting that Obasanjo’s disapproval stemmed not from party politics but rather from a flawed federal arrangement.

He expressed that the issue isn’t about party politics, but rather our current non-federal constitution. He argued that with a true federal system, the outcome would have been different—he would have built his power station regardless of political affiliation. The fundamental problem lies in our existing constitutional framework; unless we adopt a federal structure, progress will remain elusive.

“We produce power and feed it into the national grid—the inefficient system that frequently fails. All of the funds used to build this power station came from Akwa Ibom, yet a flawed constitution allows a president to claim ownership of even this power station and integrate it into the national grid.”

Attah praised the amendment to the Electricity Act 2023, which greatly expanded opportunities for states to enter the power sector, allowing them to generate and distribute electricity as well as oversee regulation within their jurisdictions.

“With the introduction of the new law, our governor, Umo Eno, is making significant efforts to establish an Akwa Ibom power company that will both generate and distribute electricity to residents,” he stated.

For many years, Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, has struggled with persistent energy issues due to an erratic power supply that greatly impacts productivity. Although the electricity sector was privatized, challenges such as policy inconsistency, insufficient investment, and operational problems continue to plague power generation, transmission, and distribution.

In 2024, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) sanctioned an increase in electricity prices, setting the cost at approximately N250 per unit for Band A customers. Simultaneously, petrol and diesel—common alternative energy sources—experienced a fivefold price surge, further intensifying consumers’ challenges.

That same year, NERC awarded licenses for power plants and distribution to no fewer than eight State Electrification Regulatory Commissions. These states include Enugu, Ekiti, Ondo, Imo, Edo, Kogi, Oyo and the more recent addition of Lagos. Experts consider this initiative—intended to democratize the electricity market—as a positive step that is essential for enhancing industrialization in the country and boosting productivity levels.