The Coalition In Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution, CDNDC, Sunday, rejected the approval of electricity tariff hike. This was stated by the Convener, CDNDC, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, in a chat with Vanguard, saying the government should consider the plight of Nigerians who are already riddled with poverty and the situation of the economy, hence the increased electricity tariff would plunge the economy into a more precarious situation. He said:
“Raising the electricity tariff by as much as 78 per cent smacks of a wicked plot of betrayal of the people by a regime that only some 10 months ago tricked the electorates into re-electing it as a government with a human face.
“For a people that are getting poorer by the hour, adding to their spending burden is akin to chastising Nigerians with scorpions, and that is after tolerating Buhari’s whips in his first term. Many homes and areas are poorly served by these discos, and yet this insensitive government still wants the people to pay for inefficiency.”
He also added that “The Buhari regime must stop the habit of adding to the burden of the people. It is unfortunate that NLC and other Labour organizations and ASUU plus NBA have become lame ducks incapable of fighting for the common man. When shall this chastisement stop?” Meanwhile, he also charged the leadership of the National Assembly to intervene in the issue as representatives of the people.
“This exploitative tariffs is yet another test for the leadership of the National Assembly to either side with the people that elected them or remain a rubber stamp. I recall vividly that the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, had during the initial plot to increase the tariffs, then as a majority leader, described it as the biggest scam. Now that he is in charge, Nigerians would like to know his position. Will he side with the people or the DISCOS?
“I, therefore, urge the National Assembly to review the NERC Act and ensure that no new tariffs can be effected without the approval of the lawmakers. This legislative approval will give them strategic leverage to review the activities of the DISCOS and get the NERC to be sensitive to the pains of Nigerians”, he said.
