Anambra Electricity Consumers Suspend Protest Against EEDC/FirstPower, Cite Security Concerns Over Soludo’s Inauguration

By Tony Okafor, Awka

The Saturday March 14 planned protest by the Electricity Consumers Rights Network, led by Comrade Osita Obi, against epileptic power supply by EEDC/FirstPower has been suspended.

Addressing newsmen in Awka on Friday afternoon, Obi stressed that the protest had only been suspended and not cancelled.

He explained that the decision followed security concerns raised by security agencies, including the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Anambra State Government ahead of the governor’s inauguration on March 17.

According to him, the agencies expressed fears that the protest could be hijacked by hoodlums.

Obi disclosed that he had received more than 157 calls, some of which were threatening, urging him to call off the protest.

He, however, denied allegations that he was bribed to suspend the protest, insisting that no one could bribe him.

“Having listened to these people, we decided to suspend the protest, not cancel it,” he said.

Flanked by Mr Tony Erike and Mr Okpara Nonso, who are co-conveners of the protest, Obi said he would not want to take any action that might not augur well for the state.

He urged electricity consumers to attend a town hall meeting scheduled by FirstPower for March 18, where they would have the opportunity to ask questions about the power situation in the state.

“We will continue to engage; we are not chickening out,” Obi stressed.

He also decried the quality of power supply in the state, describing it as “useless,” noting that even the few hours electricity is supplied are often inconsistent and unreliable.

Electricity consumers in Anambra State, under the Electricity Consumers Rights Initiative and the Electricity Consumers Rights Network, had earlier planned the protest against FirstPower and EEDC over poor power supply and high estimated billing.

The protest was meant to highlight growing frustration among residents over erratic electricity supply despite the introduction of high Band A tariffs.

The agitation comes amid the recent transition of electricity distribution operations in the state to FirstPower, a subsidiary of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).