36 Governors Unite Against Electricity Bill, Citing Constitutional Concerns
The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has expressed strong opposition to the Electricity Bill currently before the Senate, citing concerns that it infringes on states’ constitutional rights regarding electricity generation, transmission, and distribution.
In a letter to Senator Gabriel Suswam, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, NGF Chairman and Ekiti State Governor John Kayode Fayemi emphasized that the Bill undermines states’ authority in the electricity sector.
The governors argue that the Bill’s provisions, particularly Clause 2(2), restrict states’ powers to build generation plants, transmission lines, and distribution lines, contravening their constitutional rights. They also contend that the Bill unfairly concentrates power in the National Assembly and Federal Government, violating states’ jurisdiction over electricity regulation.
NGF has called for a harmonized approach, urging engagement with the Federal House of Representatives to merge the EPSRA Amendment Bill 2020 and other related bills into a single, comprehensive Electricity Bill that respects states’ constitutional rights.
The governors’ objections highlight the need for a balanced and inclusive approach to electricity sector reform, ensuring that states’ interests are protected and their constitutional powers are upheld.
