A Kano-based political group, the Grassroot Initiative Concept, has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his deputy, Senator Barau Jibrin, of deliberately frustrating the confirmation of Engr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Speaking at a press conference in Kano on Friday, the group’s convener, Alwan Hassan, alleged that political interference and personal interests were responsible for the delay in Ramat’s confirmation, despite his successful screening and endorsement by the Senate Committee on Power.
Hassan described the development as a worrying trend that undermines governance, erodes public trust, and contradicts President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Some parliamentarians appear determined to frustrate the reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Rather than supporting his efforts to build strong institutions, they resort to intimidation and blackmail of appointees,” he said.
The group specifically accused Senator Barau Jibrin of using his influence to stall Ramat’s confirmation for personal and political reasons. “It is deeply troubling that this delay has nothing to do with Ramat’s competence or integrity, but everything to do with internal political maneuvering. Unfortunately, this is not the first time Senator Barau, working with Senator Akpabio, has allegedly blocked opportunities for qualified Kano citizens,” Hassan alleged.
He cited several previous instances of what he described as “political obstruction” allegedly orchestrated by both lawmakers to limit federal appointments for Kano indigene based on political calculations. He described Engr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat as a young technocrat of exceptional merit, Hassan said his nomination symbolized competence and generational shift.
According to the group, Ramat’s proposed leadership agenda for NERC aligns with the Electricity Act 2023, emphasizing transparency, investor confidence, consumer protection, renewable energy, and smart-grid adoption.
Hassan revealed that the Senate Committee on Power, chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, had reviewed and unanimously endorsed Ramat’s nomination as eminently qualified. However, he claimed that the report’s adoption, initially scheduled for October 22, was delayed under pressure from Senator Barau.”
