Tinubu Government Hears Voices – Atiku’s Aide Tackles Power Minister Over ‘Freezer’ Remark

The Media Adviser to the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has slammed the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, for claiming that some Nigerians are asking him to slow down.

Naija News reports that the Minister stated that he was receiving positive feedback from Nigerians on electricity supply and that they were asking him to slow down because their freezers are now working continuously.

“Some areas called me to say, look, I should slow down, that everything in their freezer is freezing. That is what a freezer is meant to do. Let it freeze the food that needs to be frozen,” Tegbe was quoted as saying.

However, speaking on Thursday via a statement, Ibe claimed that official data showed a significant gap between Nigeria’s installed electricity generation capacity and the power available for dispatch

He said, “Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, says Nigerians are calling him and asking him to ‘slow down’ because their freezers are now freezing too much. For real?

“Apparently, the Tinubu government hears voices the rest of Nigeria cannot hear. It hears Nigerians complaining about too much electricity, while official NERC data showed that in April only about 4,286MW was available for dispatch from 13,625MW of installed grid-connected capacity.”

Ibe insisted that the minister’s comment does not reflect the experience of Nigerians facing rising energy and living costs.

“It hears freezers freezing. Nigerians hear generators roaring. It hears an electricity revolution. Families see electricity bills consuming their incomes.

“It hears economic progress. Small businesses see the cost of electricity, petrol and diesel eating away their margins,” he said.

Ibe also criticised the government over the cost of alternative energy sources, saying diesel had recently crossed ₦2,000 per litre in some parts of the country.

He said the government should focus on the challenges facing Nigerians rather than the freezer anecdote.

“The real story is not that Nigerians’ freezers are freezing. What is freezing is the quality of life of Nigerians.

“Household incomes are being frozen by inflation. Small businesses are being frozen out by energy costs. Jobs are disappearing as operating costs rise. Families are cutting consumption to survive,” Ibe said.

The ADC presidential candidate’s aide further argued that Nigeria’s electricity challenge could not be reduced to the minister’s claim about improved supply in some areas.

“Nigeria does not have an electricity problem because the Minister is supplying too much power. The available official numbers tell a considerably less triumphant story,” he said.

Ibe urged the Federal Government to focus on improving the reliability and affordability of electricity supply.

“The government should leave the freezer jokes alone. Give Nigerians reliable and affordable electricity. Let their freezers freeze. Stop freezing their lives,” he said.