Senate refutes bribery allegation in NERC chairman confirmation saga
The Nigerian Senate has denied allegations that it collected bribes to frustrate the screening and confirmation of Abdullahi Garba Ramat as chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The Senate, in a statement released Friday night, explained that the decision to halt Ramat’s confirmation was based on multiple complaints and concerns regarding his nomination — not on any financial inducement.
Earlier, Alwan Hassan, a former Special Adviser to ex–Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, alleged that the leadership of the 10th Senate received a $10 million bribe to block Ramat’s appointment.
Reacting to the accusation, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, described the claim as “baseless and mischievous.” He stated that the Senate suspended the confirmation process after receiving “a barrage of public and private complaints” questioning Ramat’s suitability for the sensitive regulatory role.
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“The Senate is statutorily bound to consider any public outcry against a nominee,” Adaramodu said. “Mr. Ramat’s case is not an exception, noting that many nominees in the past have stepped down under similar circumstances.”, he stated
He stressed that the legislature could not be “bullied or blackmailed” into confirming any nominee whose record or qualifications were under credible scrutiny.
According to Adaramodu, the Senate’s investigation revealed that Ramat’s professional background did not sufficiently align with the highly technical and regulatory nature of NERC’s mandate.
NERC, as Nigeria’s electricity industry regulator, oversees critical areas such as tariff setting, licensing, market competition, and consumer protection — functions that require a deep understanding of energy economics, law, or engineering, as well as extensive experience in regulatory governance.
The Senate spokesman explained that during the vetting process, it became clear that Ramat lacked the level of regulatory and technical experience typically expected for the position.
“The rejection was purely based on merit and professional concerns,” Adaramodu emphasised. “There was no financial inducement of any kind. The Senate’s duty is to ensure that only competent and qualified Nigerians occupy such strategic national offices,” further explained.
Adaramodu further disclosed that the Senate would take legal action against Alwan Hassan to compel him to provide evidence supporting his bribery allegation.
“The Senate will not allow baseless accusations to tarnish its image,” he said. “We respect the views and complaints of Nigerians, but we will not permit anyone to drag the National Assembly into public disrepute for personal or political reasons.”
In a related development, the Chairman of the Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Abbas, appealed for calm among party members amid the controversy.
Abbas urged members to avoid divisive statements and to allow both the Presidency and the National Assembly to perform their constitutional duties without interference.
“Political disagreements are normal,” Abbas noted, “but they should not destroy the unity of the party. We must respect due process and trust that the institutions involved will act in the nation’s best interest.”
President Bola Tinubu had nominated Abdullahi Garba Ramat as NERC Chairman in August 2025. Given NERC’s central role in Nigeria’s electricity regulation, the appointment is considered one of the most technically demanding positions in the energy sector.
The Senate, in its explanation, reiterated that its refusal to confirm Ramat stemmed from concerns about his professional suitability and the weight of public petitions against him — not from any alleged act of bribery.
