By Christiana Ekpa
While it is no longer news that the recent appointment of Sani Magaji Tambuwal as Clerk of the National Assembly was trailed with controversy as a result of alleged irregularities, despite warnings from some quarters, concerns have continued to mount over the alleged breached of National Assembly Service Commission Act (NASC) by bypassing other senior officers of the Assembly Management to appoint him as the administrative head legislature. Accordingly to sources, the decision of NASC does not reflect the criteria for appointment and promotions in the service.
The source who did not want his name in print said that many officials in the National Assembly kicked against the plan when they learnt Tambuwal was being considered for the position because, according to them,”the implications for the Commission’s decision has placed limitations on others to the extent that if you can not buy your way in, you won’t get what is rightfully yours”
NASC had allegedly breached its Act by bypassing other senior officers of the National Assembly to appoint Tambuwal as the Clerk of the National Assembly, the source insisted.
Tambuwal, who will serve in acting capacity till his confirmation, replaces the former CNA, Olatunde Ojo, who was asked to proceed on the required three-months pre-retirement leave – ahead of the retirement date of February 2023.
Until his appointment, the new clerk who hails from Sokoto was the secretary to the directorate of finance and accounts in the National Assembly.
NASC allegedly ‘bypassed’ the next in rank, Chinedu Akabueze, the Clerk of the Senate, and three others, to appoint Mr Tambuwal thus breaching Section 6 of the Act establishing the Commission.
The line of hierarchy for appointments in Section 6(1)(b) of the Act is– clerk to the National Assembly, deputy clerk to the National Assembly, clerk of the Senate, clerk of the House of Representatives, deputy clerk of the Senate, deputy clerk of the House and secretaries to the directorates and then holders of other offices.
Akabueze became the next senior legislative officer to Mr Ojo following the earlier retirement of the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly (DCNA), Bala Yabani.
Also, Section 14(5) of the Act provides that “consideration shall be given to seniority, cognate experience, competence, or federal character.”
In a letter announcing Tambuwal’s appointment, Ahmed Amshi, the NASC chairman, said it was done in recognition of his hardwork and administrative competence. He also said it is in line with Section 6(b) of the NASC Act.
However, a Committee clerk who does not want his name mentioned, told Weekend People Daily that “a bad example has been layed and going forward, people will do whatever it takes to buy themselves what they desires and not deserved and you and I know this spells doom for upcoming Clerks of National Assembly
According to him, “Many officials kicked against the plan when they learnt he was being considered for the position against Akabueze who is the next legislative officer in line, while Tambuwal is an administrative officer.”
He clearly told Weekend Peoples Daily that the CNA position was supposed to be between Akabueze and Dr Yahaya DanZaria who all the staff were hoping would succeed the out going Clerk. Our Correspondent gathered that DanZaria was already being tagged “a great leader who understands the plight of the NASS works and the right person for the job.” Moreover, Akabueze’s retirement age is very close.
The source said: “ the truth is that the management staff all have high hopes for DanZaria, because Oga Chinedu is also close to his retirement age and he is not really keyed for this CNA appointment thing but the next person inline who is capable and have what it take to do the Job both, human capacity, legislative and administration work is DanZaria and not this political and monetary game they played.
The source also said some staff blamed the out-gone clerk for handing over and recommending Tambuwal to take over from him.
He said that a petition was submitted to the Commission and the National Assembly in this regard.
Recall that the APC Alliance for Good Governance, in reaction to the appointment of Tambuwal had accused the PDP of trying to install its stooges in the National Assembly for deep-seated corruption and looting.
Assistant national coordinator of the group, Dr. Sani Abubakar Liman, in a press statement, he issued had claimed the opposition party was using the tussle for the replacement of the outgone Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Architect Olatunde Amos Ojo, to precipitate a crisis that will torpedo age-long tradition of seniority in the appointment of functional officers for the Assembly.
He said “We are aware that a colossal amount of money running into billions of Naira has been earmarked to fight the battle with the Commissioners of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) being targeted for bribe of N50 million each.”
According to Liman, the outgoing Clerk, who is due to embark on mandatory pre-retirement leave on the November 14, 2022 on expiration of his tenure, was angling to remain until February 14, 2023 when he clocks 60 years of age as against the provision of extant rules.
“Reports reaching the APC Alliance for Good Governance has it that the outgoing CNA has as plan A his continued stay in office illegally, while pushing for Sani Tambuwal (Secretary of Finance and Account) as plan B to succeed him and ultimately position him for the ultimate PDP takeover of the Assembly.
“The said Tambuwal is allegedly being sponsored by a current PDP Governor from Northwest, who happened to be a senatorial candidate targeting the office of Senate President, if he secures victory in 2023 election.
“This explains his desperation to buy all the commissioners at any cost to accomplish PDP underground plot to takeover National Assembly come 2023.
“We understand that three senior officers, Bashir Yero, the most senior, Sani Tambuwal, and Akabueze Chinedu, are the candidates screened by the NASC,” he added.
Another legislative aide at the office of the Senate President – who also does not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said the appointment was done based on the recommendation of a committee set up to screen and consider eligible candidates.
According to him, the eligible officers were considered based on their career progression and Mr Tambuwal was found worthy of taking over.
But in a list of employees of the Commission seen by our reporter the ranking listed three other senior officials ahead of Mr Tambuwal, apart from Mr Akabueze and DanZaria. They are Henrietta Aimua-Ehikioya, Saraju Oladoyin and Rahmatu Ahmed – who are all secretaries to directorates too.
Weekend Peoples Daily stumbled on a petition written November 2022 by the Director, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Citizens Rights, National Assembly, Mrs Ben-Stowe Osinuga Olubusola who petitioned the Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) over the deliberate denial of promotion to a secretary in the recent promotions by the commission because she is a woman.
Findings showed that, the Commission has been in the habit of breaching the Act all along
In the petition titled: “Re-appointment of Secretaries and staff into top management positions by the National Assembly Service Commission on 3rd March and 18th November, 2022,” Olubusola stated that Yomi Omogbehin, who is her junior by many years was promoted before and above her because he is the candidate of the Speaker House of Representatives, and Ojo Olatunde Amos, Clerk of the National Assembly, who is now on pre-retirement leave.
Olubusola, who decried what he called “the lopsided unjust appointments by NASC,” stated that it did not reflect the criteria for appointment and promotions in the service, adding that criteria for appointment as Secretary or a top management staff was solely based on seniority first; then zoning and availability of vacancies.
Other appointments done by the Commission included, Ms Aimua-Ehikioya now redeployed as Secretary of Legal Services; Birma Shuaibu, acting Secretary of Human Resources Directorate; Umoru Ali, acting Secretary of Research and Information; and Omogbehin Yomi, acting Secretary, Special Duties.
Others are Inyang Titus, acting Secretary of Finance and Accounts; and Nwoba Andrew, acting Secretary of Planning and Legislative Budget.”
The Commission said the appointments are based on the need to fill existing vacancies in the National Assembly Management team. It also resolved to allow the out-going Clerk to continue working with Mr Tambuwal until his retirement in February.
This, the Commission said, is in order to ensure the success of the ongoing 2023 Appropriation Bill’s processing – that should be transmitted by only the substantive CNA in accordance with the provisions of the Authentication Act.
