MIT Professor Akinwande Denies Rejecting Buhari’s Appointment

Professor Akintunde Akinwande, a Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States  has denied rejecting his appointment as the chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Yesterday, criticism has mounted against President Muhammadu Buhari since reports emerged that the MIT professor had supposedly refused his nomination as NERC chairman because he was not consulted before his name was announced.

Observers interpreted the purported appointment refusal as a clear indication that the president had lost goodwill, therefore government appointments seem unattractive to competent hands.

Premium Times reports that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor told the news medium that he missed his screening at the senate due to scheduling challenges.

Prof Akinwande’s failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Power for screening earlier this week made the chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, postpone the exercise indefinitely.

“I did not reject the nomination of the president,” Akintunde Akinwande is quoted as saying, “I had scheduling difficulties which I had informed the concerned parties about.”

He added, “It is shocking to see all the reports flying around the Nigerian media and I will tell you they’re all fiction,” Akinwande said. “Only fiction.”

The MIT professor of electrical engineering stated that he would be able to confirm the date for his return by Friday.