Amid allegations of bribery to frustrate the screening and affirmation of Mr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat as Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, the Senate on Friday evening defined why the method was once halted.

Alwan Hassan, a former Special Adviser to ex–Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, had alleged that the modernization of the tenth Senate took a bribe of $10 million to forestall the affirmation of the nominee as Chairman of NERC.

Reacting, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, disregarded the allegation as unfounded.

The Senate spokesman mentioned the verdict of the Red Chamber to step down the screening and affirmation of Abdullahi Garba Ramat for the place of job of Chairman of NERC was once knowledgeable by way of what he referred to as “a baggage of public and private complaints against his nomination.”

Senator Adaramodu, who recalled circumstances when “many nominees have stepped down due to such public outcry,” suggested the general public to not be swayed by way of the allegations of bribery.

The Senate additional hinted at a imaginable lawsuit in opposition to Mr. Alwan in court docket to compel him to supply Nigerians with evidence of his assertions.

“The consideration of the Senate has been interested in the uncoordinated cacophony of 1 harmless Alwan Hassan, who’s a hand-tool to 1 Mr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat. Refreshing the recollections of Nigerians, Mr. Ramat is the yet-to-be-confirmed Chief Executive of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

“Mr. Alwan has ludicrously alleged that the Senate was once compromised by way of yet-to-be-disclosed ghosts to reject the nomination and affirmation of Mr. Ramat. For the unsuspecting public to not be persuaded by way of the satanic verses of this politically feckless mercenary, the Senate needs to state that Mr. Garba Ramat has a luggage of private and non-private lawsuits in opposition to his nomination. The Senate is sure statutorily to halt movements on him or on whoever is underneath such public wondering. Many nominees have stepped down because of such public outcry.

“The case of Mr. Ramat isn’t an exception. No one can drag the establishment of the National Assembly into public opprobrium with unfathomable allegations to be able to arm-twist the legislature. Nigerians want to have appointees who undergo watertight screening processes, reasonably than those that bully their approach via blackmail.

“The Senate will definitely engage Mr. Alwan in court to provide Nigerians with proof of his assertions. The Senate is an institution of noble Nigerians that respects the views, opinions, complaints, and compliments of citizens through legislative oversight and other constitutional functions. We did not know and had no prior encounter with Mr. Ramat until his nomination came for screening, and the Senate is bound to listen to and consider any issues raised against him by the people he was nominated to serve.”

Recall that during August 2025, Ramat was once appointed by way of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as NERC Chairman.