Tinubu-Barau Support Coalition Slams Alwan Hassan Over “Baseless Allegations” Against Deputy Senate President
The All Tinubu-Barau Support Group Coalition (ATB-SGC) has strongly condemned what it described as “false, reckless and malicious claims” made by Alwan Hassan against the Deputy President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Barau I. Jibrin, CFR.
Alwan Hassan had, during a recent press briefing, alleged that Senator Barau played a role in the temporary suspension of the Senate confirmation of Engr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat as Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and further claimed that the Deputy Senate President collected a ten-million-dollar bribe to halt the process.
In a statement issued in Kano, the ATB-SGC dismissed the allegations as “a desperate political fabrication aimed at tarnishing the reputation of a respected national leader”, insisting that the claims were unfounded and designed to incite public misunderstanding.
The coalition noted that the Nigerian Senate, through the Chairman of its Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, had already clarified that the temporary suspension of Engr. Ramat’s screening was due to petitions and complaints before the Senate—not because of any interference from Senator Barau.
The group also recalled that a similar claim circulated earlier through a media aide of a former Kano governor was quickly debunked when Engr. Ramat himself publicly denied ever attributing the delay to Senator Barau, thereby exposing what the coalition described as a “coordinated smear campaign”.
The ATB-SGC emphasized Senator Barau’s long record of promoting the interests of Kano and the North-West region, citing in particular his lead role in the establishment of the North-West Development Commission (NWDC), meant to address developmental challenges in the region.
The coalition further highlighted Senator Barau’s recent contributions to national discourse, including his rebuttal of statements credited to U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Nigeria, describing the intervention as evidence of Barau’s commitment to national unity and sovereignty.
According to the group, the renewed attacks on Senator Barau are driven by “envy and fear of his rising national profile ahead of 2027,” accusing certain political actors of attempting to undermine his influence through misinformation.
The ATB-SGC has demanded a public retraction and apology from Alwan Hassan and others allegedly involved in the allegations, warning that failure to comply may result in legal action for defamation.
“The people of Kano and Nigerians at large know Senator Barau Jibrin as a leader of integrity, inclusiveness, and commitment to development. No amount of political mischief will diminish this,” the statement added.
The coalition urged the public to disregard the accusations and remain confident in the Deputy Senate President’s leadership and contributions to national progress.