The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has asked governors in the South East to cancel all power contracts with Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) for allegedly impeding the development of the Region.
The group stated that the company was incapable of providing reliable, adequate, and affordable electricity to support the economic stimulation and growth of the Southeast.
In a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, on Monday, IPOB said that the company was only making money from the people of the Southeast without providing reliable electricity.
It urged the Southeast governors to leverage the electricity deregulation policy of President Bola Tinubu’s government and engage other local or foreign electricity generation and distribution companies to take the place of the EEDC.
“The current electricity deregulation policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria has given powers to the state government to generate and distribute power to their state. Therefore, Southeast governors must not subject the Eastern Region to darkness in order to please the insatiably greedy EEDC and its owners. Electricity is a catalyst for economic development and growth, which Ndigbo must not be denied at a time like this.
“Southeast governors have no excuse for not providing reliable and efficient electricity in their states. The time of giving excuses with the monopoly of NEPA, PHCN, or EEDC is over. Now, the Federal Government Electricity deregulation has given them the power to hire and fire any electricity company in their state. Eastern region governors can come together and partner with a reputable power company that can provide steady and affordable electricity for the entire region.
The governors must ensure that there is adequate electricity in the region without further delay,” the group said.
IPOB also stated that it was privy to the letter written to southeast governors, universities, institutions, companies and communities by EEDC to settle their debts or face disconnection in the region.
It begged the EEDC to shelve the idea, saying, “We don’t want to use force on them and if they want to test the power IPOB possesses, we will let them taste the venom. If they venture to cut any lights in the South East this time around, we will react because we have endured enough.
“The South Eastern Governors must wake up and demonstrate their willingness to drive economic development of the East via the provision of steady and affordable electricity by cancelling all power deals with incompetent and extortionist- Enugu Electricity Distribution Company,” it said
