Group threatens election boycott over 10-year-old power outage

Some youths in Okitipupa, Ondo State, under the aegis of Bring Back Our Light, say the people of their area may not participate in the 2019 general elections if electricity supply was not restored in their communities.

In a statement issued by the Convener, Mr Olumide Akinrinlola, in Okitipupa on Sunday, the group advised its members not to be deceived by promises at a meeting scheduled by the state governor to address the situation.

Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu scheduled a town hall meeting on the 10-year-old blackout in the southern part of the state on Tuesday in Okitipupa and Igbokoda,

The group described the meeting as “another political deception” coming ahead of the upcoming elections.

The group threatened that the people of Okitipupa, Irele, Ilaje and Ese-Odo local government areas, mostly affected by the blackout, would boycott the elections, unless electricity was restored to their communities.

“We urge our members to attend the proposed meeting but they should be careful not to be gullible to political gimmicks, especially now that elections are around the corner.

“We remain resolute that the four councils mostly affected by the blackout shall not participate in the 2019 elections, if our light is not restored by the state government,” it stated.

The group said it was sceptical about the intention of the Akeredolu-led administration of organising the town hall meeting few months to the 2019 polls.

It wondered why the administration, which promised to restore electricity to the area within three months of assuming office could not do so two years after its inauguration.

It urged the state government to align itself with the resolve by the Edo State Government not to renew the contract with Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) which would be due in one month.

It noted that in spite of the presence of Omotosho and Niger-Delta Power Plants in its domain, BEDC could not provide the area with electricity.

“Our planned peaceful mega protest at the Omotosho Power Plant will hold as planned in order to register our grievances and expose atrocities committed by BEDC for their licence to be terminated,” the group added. (NAN)