Blackout: Okpebholo to engage more power distribution companies

He said more power would be available if more people could enter the power distribution business, similar to the telecommunications industry.

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According to him, "I want to let you know that the only way we can fight them is to bring stakeholders into this business of distribution.

"I want to let you know, we'll break the monopoly.

"That monopoly does not belong to one man. So, how do we do it? We must operate like the telecom industry, bringing together different stakeholders and companies.

"We are going to have a meeting in my office tomorrow. We are bringing stakeholders together so that we can talk, engage them, and see how we can bring in more investors into the business of light distribution. So when that is done, all of us in the state will have enough light.

"I was trying to find out what the issues are, and I was told that you all are protesting. I said yes, we are all youth. Is that not so? Are we not? I have come to join you on the protest.

"When we are talking about short-changing Edo people, it's all of us. My father in the village, your mother in the village, my brother in the city—all of us are standing here. Is that not so? He asked rhetorically.

 President, Network of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria (NOCSON), Comrade Emmanuel Ogbidi, said Edo residents were tired of paying for darkness instead of light and over-billing by the BEDC.