At a media briefing in Abuja, the group’s Executive Director, Blessing Akinlosotu, said Nigerians are facing a lot of hardship because of incessant power failure.
Akinlosotu urged the Minister of Power and other relevant stakeholders to immediately suspend the Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN), Boss Engr. Sule Ahmed-Abdulaziz over corruption allegations and epileptic supply in the country
“The state of electricity across the country has become a matter of national emergency with repeated collapse of the national grid and inability to even fully transmit and distribute the very minimal capacity being generated.
“Yet in the mist of these frustrating and devastating situations, we hear of a very unbelievable scandal against the Managing Director and CEO of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz,” he said.
According to him, over 20 petitions have been brought before the Civil Society Council against the MD/CEO of TCN and a few other directed at the Leadership of the Distribution Companies (DISCOs).
He notes that “However, the most alarming is the recent reports across media outlets concerning bribery allegations against the Managing Director of TCN, Engr. Sule A. Abdulaziz, that he purchased an SUV Car to induce the honourable Minister of Power to influence his retention.
“The MD has reportedly bought a 2023 Lexus SUV LX 600 model procured at the cost of N298, 444,187.50k for the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu. Reliable Sources has it that the MD of TCN bought the vehicle from the internally generated revenue of the company to bribe the Minister to ensure that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR does not remove him from office.
“The Civil Society Council is in custody of a letter dated November 7, 2023 with reference TCN/MD/CEO/01/E,001/VOL 7/227/2023 signed by the MD/CEO of TCN himself to the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service appealing for Intervention to cancel the huge demurrage and duties that had accumulated up to about N5b (five billion naira), of which the Comptroller General graciously oblige, cutting down to only 20% about N1b (One Billion only) in order to help improve electricity supply in Nigeria.
“Yet, despite the goodwill and kind gesture of the Comptroller General of Customs, the MD of TCN is still unable to pay and take deliveries till date.
“We can all imagine the positive impact of 226 container load of power equipment and transformers to the national grid and electricity supply across the country, instead the MD of TCN can raise over one quarter of the same amount to buy car for a Minister.
Akinlosotu declared that “NCSCN considers this failure to clear and take delivery of the containers of power equipment, purchase of car for the minister of power, and other violation of the Procurement Act, as the height of irresponsibility and insensitivity to the plight of the masses, that calls for stiff punitive measures against the MD/CEO of TCN.”
