Some indigenes of Kano State, on Tuesday, staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly to demand the immediate screening and confirmation of Engr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat as Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The protesters, who arrived in several Kano Line-branded and coastal buses, carried placards and banners with inscriptions such as "Tinubu's nomination should be respected,", "Akpabio and Barau must stop undermining President Tinubu," among others.
Their demonstration followed what they described as the Senate's delay in confirming Ramat, weeks after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu formally nominated him for the position.
Daily Trust reports that President Tinubu had, on October 7, 2025, forwarded a letter to the Senate seeking Ramat's confirmation as NERC's chairman.
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The letter was read during plenary by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. However, more than a month later, the Upper Chamber has yet to act on the president's request.
Senate gives reason for delay
Reacting to the growing public concern, Senate Spokesman Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), in a statement issued on Friday, said the delay was due to several petitions filed against the nominee.
He also denied widespread allegations that the Senate leadership had 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.
Protesters insist on immediate confirmation
Addressing newsmen during the protest, the leader, Ahmed I. Suleiman, said the Senate had no justification to withhold Ramat's confirmation after he had already been screened and recommended by the Senate Committee on Power, chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
In a letter addressed to Akpabio, and copied to President Tinubu, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, the protesters urged the National Assembly to act without further delay.
"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 honorably 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 ensure that the matter is resolved urgently, adding that the continued delay sends the wrong signal about the credibility of the confirmation process and could discourage qualified Nigerians from public service.
