A group of northern youth staged a protest at the entrance of the National Assembly on Tuesday to demand the confirmation of Ramat Abdullahi as chairperson of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “Tinubu’s nomination should be respected,” “Akpabio and Barau must stop undermining President Tinubu,” “If you have nothing to fear, Engr Ramat is the right person for NERC,” “Engr Ramat has passed committee screening, what is Akpabio waiting for.”
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Mr Abdullahi has been awaiting confirmation for over a month after his nomination by President Bola Tinubu, who forwarded his name to the Senate for screening.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, read the president’s request on 7 October and referred it to the Senate Committee on Power.
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The committee, chaired by Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), has since screened the nominee.
However, allegations recently surfaced that the Senate leadership received a $10 million bribe to stall Mr Abdullahi’s confirmation.
The Senate Spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, has however, denied the allegation, explaining that the delay was due to multiple petitions filed against the nominee.
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Protesters speak
Ahmed Suleiman, who addressed journalists on behalf of the protesters, argued that the Senate had no justification to withhold Mr Abdullahi’s confirmation after he had already been screened and recommended by the relevant committee.
Mr Suleiman also read a letter addressed to the senate president, urging him to expedite the action.
“We respectfully bring to your attention a matter of significant concern: the yet-to-be-concluded confirmation of our son, Engr. Ramat Abdullahi, as Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)
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“Engr. Abdullahi has, over the past decade, served diligently and honourably in various capacities, ranging from local governance to advisory roles within the Kano State Government, as well as in his private ventures.
“He possesses the requisite academic and professional qualifications, as well as valuable experience, to lead a strategic institution as critical as NERC at this pivotal time in our country’s energy journey,” the letter read in part.
The protesters appealed to the senate president to resolve the matter urgently, warning that the prolonged delay sends the wrong signal about the credibility of the confirmation process and could discourage qualified Nigerians from accepting public service roles
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