The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, has appealed to members of the party to exercise restraint and avoid making divisive statements on the ongoing controversy surrounding the confirmation of Engineer Abdullahi Garba Ramat as the Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The issue, which has reportedly caused tension within the state chapter of the ruling party, arises from allegations that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senate Vice President Senator Barau I. Jibrin collected a $10 million bribe to thwart Ramat’s confirmation. Senator Jibrin’s loyalists have threatened legal action against members of the defunct Gawuna Campaign Organisation, which allegedly circulated the bribery allegations.
The controversy deepened after former acting CEO of the Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Hassan, accused Senate leaders of deliberately obstructing Ramat’s confirmation for political reasons. Hassan alleged that despite being vetted and endorsed by the Senate Energy Committee, the nominee’s confirmation had been unfairly delayed, a move he described as inconsistent with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda for the energy sector.
However, during a press conference in Kano on Friday, the Coordinator and Director General of the Coalition of Tinubu/Barau Support Groups, Comrade Hafizu Sani Liman (FIPMA), dismissed the bribery allegations as “baseless, malicious and a desperate attempt to tarnish Senator Barau’s hard-earned reputation.”
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Reacting to the developing 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 loyalists of the APC 2023 gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, and his running mate, Hon. Murtala Sule Garo, was detrimental to the unity and stability of the party.
“The issue at hand falls squarely within the constitutional responsibilities of the Nigerian Presidency and Senate,” Abbas said. “While it is the prerogative of the Presidency to make nominations for appointments, it is the duty of the Senate to examine and confirm such candidates in accordance with constitutional provisions.”
The party president stressed that despite internal political differences, the APC in Kano remains a united political family. He warned that any disagreement, particularly over a single appointment, should not 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 relevant institutions to discharge their constitutional duties without interference.
He expressed confidence that both the Presidency and the National Assembly would resolve the matter fairly, transparently and in the best interest of the party and the nation.
Newslodge