Scores of indigenes of Kano State on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, urging the Senate to expedite the confirmation of Engr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat as Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The protesters, who arrived in Kano Line-branded and coastal buses, carried placards and banners bearing inscriptions such as “Tinubu’s nomination should be respected” and “Akpabio and Barau must stop undermining President Tinubu.” They accused certain interests of delaying the confirmation weeks after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu formally nominated Ramat.
President Tinubu had forwarded Ramat’s nomination to the Senate on October 7, 2025, and the letter was read during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. However, more than a month later, the Upper Chamber has yet to act on the president’s request, prompting public frustration.
Senate Spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), said on Friday that the delay was due to several petitions filed against the nominee. He also denied allegations that the Senate leadership received a $10 million bribe to block Ramat’s confirmation.
“The Senate is statutorily bound to pause consideration of any nominee facing serious public petitions or controversies. Many nominees in the past have been stepped down for similar reasons. Mr. Ramat’s case is no exception,” Adaramodu explained.
Speaking to journalists during the demonstration, Ahmed I. Suleiman, leader of the protesters and spokesperson for the Grassroots Initiative Concept, argued that the Senate had no justification to withhold Ramat’s confirmation after he was already screened and recommended by the Senate Committee on Power, chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
In a petition addressed to Akpabio, and copied to President Tinubu, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, the protesters urged swift action.
“We respectfully bring to your attention a matter of significant concern: the yet-to-be-concluded confirmation of our son, Engr. Abdullahi Ramat Abdullahi, as Executive Chairman and CEO of NERC. He possesses the requisite academic and professional qualifications and valuable experience to lead a strategic institution critical to Nigeria’s energy sector,” the petition read.
Suleiman also alleged that “vested interests” were working to derail the appointment, warning that the delay could discourage qualified Nigerians from public service.
The protest included chants of solidarity and calls for reform in the power sector, with demonstrators carrying placards such as “President Tinubu Did Not Send Nominees to be Harassed” and “Ramat Represents Reform in Power Sector.”
This agitation comes amid public frustration over high electricity tariffs and poor power supply across Nigeria. The Senate recently threatened legal action against former presidential aide Alwan Hassan, who alleged lawmakers received a $10 million bribe to block Ramat’s confirmation. The Senate dismissed the allegation as baseless, reiterating that the nominee’s confirmation was delayed due to petitions and public concerns.
Ramat’s nomination remains suspended pending further legislative and public review, as both supporters and critics await the Upper Chamber’s decision.
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