By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Protesters gathered at the National Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday, demanding for the immediate confirmation of President Bola Tinubu’s nominee for the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Engr. Abdullahi Ramat.
Carrying placards with messages such as “President Tinubu Did Not Send Nominees to Be Harassed” and “Ramat Represents Reform in Power Sector,” the demonstrators accused the Senate of politicising a key national appointment.
The protest followed last month’s decision by the upper chamber to delay Ramat’s confirmation, despite the Committee on Power, chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, giving a positive recommendation.
Ahmed I. Suleiman, leader of the protesters, told journalists that “vested interests” were behind the holdup, alleging that political lobbyists were obstructing reforms.
“We write as proud indigenes of Kano State to register our concern over the yet-to-be-concluded confirmation of our son, Engr. Abdullahi Ramat,” Suleiman said. “He has the credentials and experience, so it is deeply unsettling that his name was stepped down after clearance by the screening panel.”
He accused certain senators of succumbing to “false narratives and politically motivated petitions,” warning that the Senate was establishing “a dangerous precedent where capable Nigerians are sacrificed on the altar of vendetta.”
The demonstration came days after the Senate threatened legal action against former Presidential aide Alwan Hassan, who alleged that lawmakers received a $10 million bribe to block Ramat’s confirmation.
Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu dismissed the claims as “baseless,” emphasising that the delay followed “public and private complaints” about Ramat’s suitability.
“Many nominees have been stepped down due to such public outcry,” Adaramodu said. “The case of Mr Ramat is not an exception.”
He added that the Senate would compel Hassan to substantiate his allegations in court, stressing that it would not be pressured into confirming any nominee “under a cloud of public concern.”
Ramat’s confirmation remains on hold as frustrations grow over the country’s worsening power supply and rising electricity tariffs.