The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties and the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations have demanded the immediate resignation of Adebayo Adelabu, the power minister. 

In a statement signed by James Ezema, spokesman for CNPP, and Ali Abacha, the CNCSOs national secretary, the coalition accused Mr Adelabu of incompetence and lack of capacity to address Nigeria’s chronic electricity crisis.

“His continued tenure is untenable,” the statement declared, urging President Bola Tinubu to redeploy Mr Adelabu to a ministry “aligned with his competencies within seven days.”

The coalition described the power minister as “a typical example of a round peg in a square hole.”

It questioned the minister’s qualifications, pointing out that his expertise lies in financial services, hospitality, entertainment, agriculture, and real estate—not the power sector.

“His appointment appears to be a case of political patronage rather than merit, and his performance has validated our concerns,” the statement said. “While we acknowledge the president’s intentions to address the nation’s challenges, the incompetence of appointees like Minister Adelabu undermines these efforts and erodes public trust.”

The coalition called on Mr Tinubu to act decisively in the interest of Nigerians.

“The power sector is too critical to be left in the hands of individuals who lack the requisite expertise and vision,” said the statement. “Minister Adelabu must resign or be redeployed immediately to prevent further damage to Nigeria’s economy and the well-being of its citizens.”

The coalition also highlighted the dire state of the power sector under Mr Adelabu, explaining that over 40 per cent of Nigerians remain without access to electricity, while the rest rely on a national grid that delivers a meagre and unreliable supply of 2,000MW to 4,000MW daily—a situation unchanged since the 1980s.

“This failure has perpetuated a cycle of economic stagnation, job losses, and the closure of small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the backbone of Nigeria’s economy,” it said. 

While expressing grave concern over the country’s epileptic electricity supply, the coalition observed that Nigeria continues to lag behind other African nations in electrification amid its abundant human and natural resources.

It criticised Mr Adelabu for failing to leverage the Nigerian Electricity Act 2023, which decentralises electricity provision and encourages public-private collaboration. 

“His inability to market these opportunities to attract local and international investors has exacerbated the nation’s power crisis and undermined the potential for economic recovery,” noted the coalition. 

The coalition cited a recent report by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, which revealed three incidents of total grid collapse and two incidents of partial collapse in the fourth quarter of 2024. 

“Despite these failures, Nigerians paid a staggering N509.84 billion to electricity distribution companies during the same period—an increase from the N466.69 billion spent in the third quarter of 2024,” it stated.

The coalition also mentioned that the alarming statistics, coupled with 12 grid collapses recorded throughout 2024, demonstrate Mr Adelabu’s inability to address systemic issues in the power sector.