Benue blackout: JED is dead wrong for punishing innocent people – Hon
Benue SDP Governorship Candidate Criticizes Power Outage Amid Dispute
MAKURDI, Nigeria — Prof. Sebastine Hon, SAN, the governorship candidate for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Benue State, has condemned the decision to impose a total power outage on the state capital due to an ongoing dispute between the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED) and the state government.
In a statement issued over the weekend, Hon called the blackout “unacceptable,” arguing that innocent residents of Benue should not suffer as a result of administrative conflicts. While he acknowledged the challenges faced by JED, he emphasized that the company’s approach is misguided and detrimental to both the local population and its own corporate reputation.
Hon urged JED to reassess its actions, asserting that the company could face legal repercussions for penalizing citizens who have no involvement in the dispute. He warned that such measures could lead to further damage to JED’s image.
The candidate pointed out that the power outage has severely affected local businesses, hospitals, schools, and households, exacerbating the economic struggles already faced by citizens. He urged JED to restore electricity while pursuing a lawful resolution of its differences with the state government, stating that conflicts between service providers and government entities should not impact consumers who are already enduring significant hardships.
