…“The consumers decided to suspend the protest, not cancel it after listening to these people”, Obi said.
ANAMBRA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The planned protest by the Electricity Consumers Rights Network, led by Osita Obi, over poor electricity supply by EEDC/FirstPower has been suspended.
Speaking to journalists in Awka on Friday afternoon, Obi clarified that the protest, initially scheduled for Saturday, had only been suspended and not cancelled.
He explained that the decision followed security concerns raised by 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 warned that the protest could be hijacked by hoodlums.
Obi also revealed that he received more than 157 phone calls, some of them threatening, and urging him to call off the demonstration.
He dismissed claims that he was bribed to halt the protest, insisting that no one could influence him in such a way.
“After listening to these people, we decided to suspend the protest, not cancel it,” he said.
Obi, who was flanked by co-conveners Tony Erike and Okpara Nonso, added that he did not want to take any action that could negatively affect the state.
He urged electricity consumers to attend a town hall meeting scheduled by FirstPower on March 18, where residents will have the opportunity to raise questions about the electricity situation in the state.
“We will continue to engage; we are not backing down,” Obi said.
He also criticised the quality of electricity supply in Anambra, describing it as “useless,” and noting that even the limited hours of power provided are often inconsistent and unreliable.
Electricity consumers in the state, under the Electricity Consumers Rights Initiative and the Electricity Consumers Rights Network, had earlier planned the protest to express frustration over poor power supply and high estimated billing by FirstPower and EEDC.
The protest followed the recent takeover of electricity distribution operations in Anambra by FirstPower, a subsidiary of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
