Kano APC Chair urges restraint over NERC appointment dispute
Kola Oyelere, Kano
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, has appealed to party members to exercise restraint and avoid making divisive statements over the ongoing controversy surrounding the confirmation of Engineer Abdullahi Garba Ramat as Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The issue, which has reportedly caused tension within the state chapter of the ruling party, stems from allegations that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, collected a $10 million bribe to frustrate Ramat’s confirmation. Loyalists of Senator Jibrin have threatened legal action against members of the defunct Gawuna Campaign Organisation, which allegedly circulated the bribery claims.
The controversy deepened after former Acting Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Hassan, accused the Senate leadership of deliberately obstructing Ramat’s confirmation for political reasons. Hassan alleged that despite being screened and endorsed by the Senate Committee on Power, the nominee’s confirmation had been unjustly delayed—an action he described as inconsistent with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda for the power sector.
However, during a press conference in Kano on Friday, the Convener and Director-General of the Tinubu/Barau Support Groups Coalition, Comrade Hafizu Sani Liman (FIPMA), dismissed the bribery allegations as “baseless, mischievous, and a desperate attempt to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of Senator Barau.”
Reacting to the unfolding dispute, Abbas, in a statement personally signed by him, expressed concern that the controversy could further polarize the party in the state. He noted that the exchange of accusations between supporters of Senator Barau and those loyal to the APC’s 2023 governorship candidate, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, and his running mate, Hon. Murtala Sule Garo, was unhealthy for the unity and stability of the party.
“The issue at hand falls squarely within the constitutional responsibilities of the Presidency and the Nigerian Senate,” Abbas stated. “While it is the prerogative of the Presidency to make nominations for appointments, it is the duty of the Senate to screen and confirm such nominees in line with constitutional provisions.”
The party chairman emphasized that, despite internal political differences, the APC in Kano has remained a cohesive political family. He warned that no disagreement—particularly over a single appointment—should be allowed to undermine the unity that has sustained the party over the years.
Abbas therefore urged all members to respect due process and allow the relevant institutions to discharge their constitutional duties without interference.
He expressed confidence that both the Presidency and the National Assembly would resolve the matter with fairness, transparency, and in the best interest of the party and the nation.