Prof. Akintunde Akinwande has dismissed social media report
that he turned down the offer of appointment as Chairman of Nigerian
Electricity Regulatory Commission.
Akinwande was nominated for the Chairmanship of NERC by
President Muhammadu Bahuri, but failed to appear before the National Assembly
for screening on October 25.
His failure to appear for the screening was wrongly
interpreted by a section of the social media.
Prof. Akinwande, in a letter dated October 26 and sent to
the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and
Metallurgy, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, however, said he would soon honour the
invitation for screening by the Senate.
He said he would appear before the Senate after clearing
with his current employer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United
States.
A statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by the Special
Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Femi Adesina,
confirmed this development.
Adesina said that Akinwande sent the letter acknowledging
his readiness to appear for screening at the Senate through the Special Adviser
to the President on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Ita Enang.
Akinwande, a professor of Electrical Engineering and
Computer Science, said he did not turn down the offer by Buhari.
He said, “News reports in Nigeria that I have rejected
President Buhari’s nomination to be Chairman of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory
Commission have been brought to my attention.
“I have the greatest respect for President Buhari. I am fully
behind the change he has brought and is bringing to the way government business
is conducted in Nigeria.
“I am deeply honoured that Mr. President and his team
thought me worthy for this important national assignment and sought me out for
it.
“I am a tenured professor of electrical engineering at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“As such I am contractually constrained to seek formally the
consent of the university for a leave of absence before presenting myself to
the Senate for screening and if confirmed take on the assignment.”
Akinwande apologised to the Senate Committee for not showing
up for the screening process scheduled for Oct. 25, noting that it was not out
of disrespect for the institution.
NAN
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