The Oyo State Government and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state traded accusations on Tuesday over the 100-day power outage at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, and the intervention of the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu.

The UCH had been disconnected from the national grid by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) since October 2024 due to an outstanding debt of N283 million. Following a meeting on Monday between Adelabu and UCH management, led by Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, IBEDC pledged to restore electricity to the hospital within 48 hours.

However, the APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, criticized the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration for ignoring the hospital’s plight despite its close proximity to the Governor’s Office.

“It is regrettable that the PDP-led government under Governor Seyi Makinde turned a blind eye to the dire situation at UCH, a key healthcare institution serving the people of Oyo State. Despite the hospital being just a stone’s throw from the Governor’s Office, it endured nearly three months without electricity, affecting staff, students, and patients. The state government simply looked away,” the APC stated.

The party, however, praised Adelabu, describing his intervention as a "magic wand" that resolved the dispute between UCH and IBEDC.

Oyo Govt Fires Back

In response, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Special Adviser on Media to Governor Makinde, dismissed the APC’s claims, blaming the Federal Government for failing to subsidize electricity costs for hospitals, as it had promised.

“It is unfortunate that the APC is shamelessly patting itself on the back instead of admitting the Federal Government’s failure in this matter,” Olanrewaju said.

He recalled that in August 2024, Minister Adelabu publicly announced that the Federal Government would subsidize electricity for teaching hospitals following the categorization of electricity users into different tariff bands.

“That was six months ago. Has the Federal Government fulfilled its promise? No. Why then should the APC blame the state government for a problem caused by the insensitivity of the Federal Government? Had the subsidy been provided as promised, UCH would not be in this situation,” he added.

The exchange of accusations highlights the political tensions surrounding the UCH power crisis, even as stakeholders look forward to the restoration of electricity at the facility.