A member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Afikpo North/South federal constituency, Ebonyi state, Iduma Igariwey, Wednesday, said Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) is not competent to handle electricity distribution in the southeast.
The lawmaker also said he slammed N100million suit against the company for refusing to provide power to the constituency.
Afikpo has been in total blackout for over five years.
Idu stated that he has spent millions of naira on diesel for powering his electricity generating plant due to failure of power supply in the constituency by the EEDC and that he has gathered all the receipts for the diesel he will tender before the court as exhibit.
Igariwey spoke in Ukpa, Afikpo, Afikpo North local government of the state while briefing his constituents on his achievements.
While the lawmaker regretted that the suit has suffered setback because the judge handling the matter was on election duty, he vowed that he would pursue the case to its logical conclusion.
He said: “As I speak now, I and EEDC are in court. The case has suffered setback because the judge was on election duty in Port-Harcourt. At a time, I even had to sue them for N100milion for certain deprivations I have suffered. I want our people to know that electricity is privatised, it was privatised in 2005. So, the issue of power in Nigeria has been privatised.
“The first people to hold responsible for power problems are the distribution companies (DISCO). They are the distribution agencies. In this our case, the company from which we must ask questions is the EEDC. I took up their issue at the floor of the House through a petition that was written against them and they have been invited more than ten times.
“It is now very clear to everybody that EEDC which was given the mandate to supply power to Afikpo people and the entire South east are not capable. The commonest example is three days ago when heavy wind occurred and many electricity poles fell. You will see a lot of them when you are going to Mgbom, Uwnanna.”
