Isiyaku Ahmed
The Tinubu/Barau Support Groups Coalition has dismissed as false and politically motivated the allegations made against the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, by the defunct Gawuna Campaign Organization regarding the confirmation of Engr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat as Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Addressing journalists on Friday at the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) Secretariat in Kano, the coalition described the claims as “malicious fabrications” aimed at tarnishing the hard-earned reputation of Senator Barau and misleading the public.
According to the group, the press conference, jointly addressed by Hon. Muhammadu Badaru Umar and Alwan Hassan, was filled with lies, mischief, misinformation, and fabrication by the leadership of the Gawuna Campaign Organization, who by virtue of their membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) should team up with the Deputy President of the Senate to restore the glorious days of our party in Kano.
Comrade Hafizu Sani Liman, the Convener/Director General of All Tinubu/Barau Support Groups, who addressed newsmen, said the nomination and confirmation of public officers are constitutional prerogatives of the President and the National Assembly, and Senator Barau has played a constructive role in ensuring the smooth process for Engr. Ramat’s confirmation.
“The Deputy Senate President has lobbied his colleagues to ensure the successful screening and confirmation of the nominee,” the coalition stated, describing as “laughable” the claim that Senator Barau was plotting to subvert the process.
He explained that the screening exercise was conducted by the Senate Committee on Power, chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and that the report would soon be presented to the Senate plenary for consideration.
Reacting to the allegations that Senator Barau and Senate President Godswill Akpabio were bribed with $10 million to block Ramat’s confirmation, Comrade Liman announced that legal action had been initiated against those spreading what it termed “lies and mischief.”
The coalition urged the people of Kano and Nigerians at large to disregard what it described as baseless accusations from “frustrated political actors” bent on discrediting a man whose record of service and commitment to national development is well known.
Highlighting Senator Barau’s contributions to the state, the group noted that he had facilitated several federal appointments for Kano indigenes, sponsored the bill establishing the North-West Development Commission, and supported employment opportunities for youths from the state.
“Senator Barau remains a beacon of unity, integrity, and progress in Nigeria’s political landscape.
“No amount of blackmail or propaganda will distract him from his constitutional duties or his mission to improve the welfare of his people,” the coalition declared.
The Tinubu/Barau Support Coalition reaffirmed their unwavering support for Senator Barau, pledging to continue standing by him in his efforts to promote good governance and development in Kano State and across Nigeria.
