The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has concluded its investigation into a petition challenging the alleged wrongful denial of the promotion of a pioneer staff member of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), Abdulhadi Attah Abdullahi, to the rank of Director, with its verdict now awaited.

 

The committee concluded proceedings after hearing submissions on the petition, which accuses the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the NNRA, Dr. Yau Usman Idris, of denying Abdullahi promotion despite allegedly meeting all statutory requirements and recommendations from relevant government authorities.

 

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Kwamoti Bitrus La’ori, formally declared the hearing closed and announced that members would retire to prepare a report containing the panel’s findings and recommendations.

 

The committee’s report is expected to determine whether due process was followed by the NNRA management in handling Abdullahi’s promotion and recommend any administrative or legislative action considered necessary.

Speaking with journalists after the hearing, Abdullahi expressed confidence that the committee would reach a fair and impartial decision based on the documentary evidence presented before it.

 

According to him, his ordeal dates back to 2011 when he first became due for promotion to the position of Director.

“I became due for promotion to the position of Director on merit. I am one of the pioneer staff members of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, but I have remained on the rank of Deputy Director for over 10 years, whereas the normal progression should have taken only about four years,” he said.

 

Abdullahi alleged that despite directives from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the supervising ministry directing that his promotion be implemented, the NNRA management failed to comply.

He further disclosed that the matter was previously referred to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism of the House Committee on Public Petitions in an effort to resolve the dispute amicably, but alleged that the recommendations reached during the process were ignored.

 

The petitioner also raised concerns over his Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER), insisting that he duly completed the required appraisal forms but alleged that the management refused to receive them despite instructions from the committee.

Abdullahi further narrated events surrounding the Director-level promotion examination conducted by the NNRA on April 16, 2026.

 

According to him, after reporting for the examination, candidates waited for several hours before the venue was moved from the Authority’s ground-floor conference hall to the fourth-floor boardroom without informing him.

He alleged that while other candidates were notified of the relocation, he was prevented from entering the new venue by security personnel, including armed police officers.

 

“I was the only person blocked from entering the examination venue. I documented the entire incident because I knew it might later be denied,” he alleged.

 

Abdullahi also expressed concern that the prolonged delay in processing his promotion may have been a deliberate attempt to prevent him from attaining the rank of Director before his retirement from service.

 

Despite the circumstances, he said he remained optimistic that the National Assembly would ensure justice.

“I believe this committee is doing the right thing. They listen to Nigerians with genuine complaints and examine documents without bias or favouritism. I believe they will do justice,” he stated.

He, however, questioned whether any recommendations made by the committee would ultimately be implemented, alleging that previous directives issued by oversight institutions had not been complied with by the NNRA management.

 

According to him, he had also petitioned the Presidency and other relevant authorities over the matter but claimed that no decisive action had been taken.

Representatives of the NNRA management were absent at the close of proceedings.

 

With the hearing now concluded, the committee is expected to submit its report, which will determine whether Abdullahi’s allegations of wrongful denial of promotion and non-compliance with established procedures are substantiated and what remedial steps, if any, should follow.