The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has expressed concern over the alleged politicisation of technical challenges in the power sector and has rejected allegations of incompetence against him by members of the Oyo State House of Assembly.
In a statement issued by Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations to the minister, the minister clarified that the transmission challenges affecting Ibarapa predate the current administration.
These challenges, it said, were largely caused by funding shortfalls and unresolved compensation issues linked to critical infrastructure of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The statement described the politicisation of largely technical matters as regrettable and urged lawmakers to prioritise constructive engagement and collaboration between federal and state authorities to improve electricity supply in Oyo State.
According to the statement, the State Assembly should focus on its constitutional responsibilities, particularly in light of recent amendments that place electricity on the Concurrent Legislative List, empowering states to generate, transmit, and distribute power within their jurisdictions.
While several states have taken advantage of these provisions to establish independent power initiatives, Oyo state, the ministry said, has yet to fully utilise these opportunities to complement federal efforts.
The statement further questioned why the Assembly failed to hold the state government accountable for the unsuccessful Independent Power Project undertaken with Elektron Energy, despite significant public investment. The contractor, it said , reportedly suspended services due to persistent non-payment.
It also expressed concern that the Assembly is raising these issues after nearly seven years in office and less than a year to the next general elections, describing the action as politically motivated and aimed at discrediting the Minister, rather than addressing genuine service delivery concerns.
Adelabu confirmed that concrete steps were being taken to restore stable electricity supply to Ibarapaland. The major delay on the transmission project, he said, was linked to the non-release of funds for compensation to affected landowners—an issue that arose before the current minister assumed office.
The ministry disclosed that contractors are currently on site to assess affected properties and commence compensation payments, thereby enabling full-scale project implementation. It stated that all essential equipment for the project is already in place.
“Previously abandoned and vandalised TCN facilities in the area are being rehabilitated, while electricity supply has been restored to Ibarapa Central after prolonged outages. In addition, street lighting projects have been implemented in several communities to improve security and promote economic activity,” Adelabu stated.
The statement explained that last-mile electricity distribution in Oyo state, including Ibarapa, falls under the responsibility of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), which oversees feeders, transformers, metering, and billing.
“The ministry continues to engage IBEDC to enhance service delivery and address issues related to estimated billing in line with regulatory standards, as demonstrated by the minister’s recent visit to the company,” the statement stressed.
It noted that residents of Ibarapaland were assured that with compensation processes underway and equipment already procured, tangible progress on the transmission project will soon result in improved power supply across the zone.
Adelabu noted that Oyo state has received unprecedented attention in the power sector under the current administration. Key completed and ongoing projects include: Construction and commissioning of 132/33kV mobile substations at Ajibode (University of Ibadan axis) and Eleyele-Sango by FGN Power Company.
He also listed the upgrade of the Ayede Ring Road 330/133kV substation under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) in partnership with Siemens; approval and ongoing construction of new substations at New Asejire and Lalupon/Ejioku; approval of a 15MW solar interconnected grid for the University of Ibadan and the University College Hospital by the Rural Electrification Agency as some ongoing projects.
In view of these developments, the statement urged the Oyo state government and House of Assembly to complement federal initiatives, as other states are doing, in order to sustainably improve electricity supply and economic development.
Emmanuel Addeh
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