Dramatic incident happened on Monday as power was abruptly seized during the speech of Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, at the National Assembly.
Adelabu was fielding questions from senators at an investigative hearing on “the need to halt the increase in the price of electricity” organized by the Senate Committee on Power.
Reports from The Punch indicates that power was restored in less than five minutes after the embarrassing interruption.
Commenting on the power interruption, Eyinnaya Abaribe, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, remarked on the implications of the minister’s statements about stable electricity in the country.
He stated, “You see what just happened. This is what we all experience. We the Senators experience it too and I am sure even the President does experience it at the Villa, just that he cannot speak out like we are.”
The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, approved a significant increase of 340% in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification on April 3.
According to Musliu Oseni, Vice Chairman of NERC, Band A customers will begin to pay N225 per kilowatt-hour, up from the current N66.
These customers, enjoying 20 hours of electricity supply daily, represent 15% of the 12 million electricity customers in Nigeria.
However, Oseni clarified that the review would not affect customers on other bands.
The Senate had summoned the Minister to speak on the recent tariff increase and justify the hike.
