Tensions flared at the National Assembly on Tuesday as protesters stormed the complex, demanding that the Senate expedite the confirmation of President Bola Tinubu’s nominee for Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Engr. Abdullahi Ramat.
The demonstrators, comprising Ramat’s supporters, civil society organisations, and human rights activists, marched around the parliamentary grounds, chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards bearing inscriptions such as “President Tinubu Did Not Send Nominees to be Harassed” and “Ramat Represents Reform in the Power Sector.”
The protest followed the Senate’s decision last month to halt Ramat’s confirmation, despite his successful screening by the Senate Committee on Power, chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
Speaking to journalists, Ahmed Suleiman, spokesperson for the Grassroots Initiative Concept and leader of the protest, said the group had petitioned both President Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, alleging that “certain vested interests” were working behind the scenes to obstruct the appointment for political reasons.
“We write as proud indigenes of Kano State, just like the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, to reaffirm our commitment to peace and good governance,” Suleiman stated.
“It is surprising and deeply unsettling that Engr. Ramat’s confirmation was stepped down despite his qualifications and the positive recommendation of the screening committee. We have since learned that some vested interests are pushing false narratives to discredit him,” he added.
The protesters warned that political interference in the confirmation process could set a “dangerous precedent” by allowing personal rivalries and power struggles to override merit. They urged the Senate to resist “blackmail or manipulation,” insisting that Ramat’s confirmation would further national interests and bolster the Tinubu administration’s reform agenda in the power sector.
The latest protest comes just 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 bribery claim as “baseless and reckless,” clarifying that the Senate suspended the confirmation due to “public and private complaints” concerning Ramat’s suitability for the post.
“Many nominees have been stepped down due to public outcry. Mr Ramat’s case is not an exception,” Adaramodu stated, adding that the Senate would not confirm any nominee “under a cloud of public concern.”
As the confirmation remains on hold pending further legislative review, public frustration continues to mount over Nigeria’s lingering electricity crisis, marked by high tariffs, unreliable supply, and widespread dissatisfaction with regulatory performance.
Observers say the outcome of Ramat’s nomination could signal how far the Tinubu administration is willing to go in enforcing transparency and reform within one of Nigeria’s most critical sectors.
