Date: 2016-05-09

Controversies have continued to trail the appointment of a new clerk for the National Assembly, as the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, insists that the appointment of Alhaji Sani Omolori be reverted. The Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission, Dr Adamu Fika, had announced Sani Omolori as the successor to Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa who will be leaving office soon.

The duo of Sani-Omolori and Mr. Ben Efeturi are angling to succeed Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa who is proceeding on a three-month pre-retirement leave, commencing from next Saturday to 14th August this year.

It all started on the 20th of April when Fika in a letter to Sani-Omolori announced the acting appointment. It was widely publicised but before Sani-Omolori, who is the clerk to the House of Representatives could take it all in, Saraki challenged the appointment.

Sani-Omolori’s acting appointment starts from next Friday, May 13 to August 15 and, according to the appointment letter it was in line with section 6b of the National Assembly Service Act of 2014.

Saraki in a letter signed by his Chief of Staff, Senator Isa Galaudu said the appointment violated due process.

“Please recall that during your last meeting with the Senate President on April 20, 2016, the procedure of the appointment of the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly was discussed.

“The Commission was directed to follow due process and ensure that seniority is adhered to. Of course, Mr Benedict Efeturi who is Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly (DCNA) and who has previously acted as the Clerk of the National Assembly should be the first to be considered.

“Most importantly, you have been directed to confer with the Senate President the outcome of the Commission’s meeting before letter of appointment is issued and regrettably that did not happen.

“The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives were informed that Mr. Efeturi was not considered for the appointment because he was not duly appointed as Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly. On further enquiry, we found he was duly appointed by the National Assembly Service Commission.

“Consequently, I am directed by His Excellency, the Senate President, to inform you that the letter appointing Mr Sani Omolori as Acting Clerk of the National Assembly  be withdrawn  immediately for further consultations, “the letter stated.

In his reaction, Fika said the commission took into account the fact that Mr. Efeturi would be proceeding on his retirement leave on 2nd August, this year, 12 days before the incumbent Clerk will be due to hand over to his successor.

“This means that Mr. Efeturi is time barred for the Acting appointment. Hence the choice of Mr. Sani-Omolori to act to ensure continuity in that very important public service where he will serve for next five years.

“In arriving at the commission’s decision, the Chairman did not use his casting vote, because 11 commissioners were in support with only one who voted no, “ Fika said.

On the career progression of two contenders, Fika said Sani-Omolori became director before Efeturi but that they were both appointed acting clerk and substantive clerk on same day, month and year.

“It should be noted that in the Nigeria Public Service, seniority is determined at time of consideration for promotion and career progression chart leading to it. Seniority has never and is never decided by the date of appointment to the service nor date of retirement from service or indeed the number of years spent in the service.

“In the light of all the foregoing, Your Excellency will agree that reversing the decision of the commission appointing Mr. Sani-Omolori as the acting clerk to the National Assembly cannot be tenable in the circumstances, “ he said. 

Four days later, then came the circulation of a letter reportedly by seven commissioners of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), faulting Sani-Omolori’s appointment. 

The seven commissioners namely; Abubakar Garba Rufai, Idi Ningi, Joseph Oru, Dr. Paul Oweh, Elder Stephen Yepwi, Barrister Funmi Lamuye and Abel Chukwu threw their weight behind Efeturi, the preferred candidate of Saraki.

In a letter to Fika tagged, “Re-appointment of Acting Clerk of National Assembly”, the commissioners affirmed that Efeturi was the rightful person to assume the office based on seniority.

“ You went ahead and issued a letter appointment to Sani-Omolori right after the meeting, against the commission’s norm of adopting the minutes of the meeting at another meeting before carrying out decisions taken.

“Recall that in November 2014,  you unilaterally issued a letter of appointment to the same Sani-Omolori as Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly until the members wrote to the Senate President dissociating themselves from your action; 11 out of 12 commissioners signed the letter.

“ The commission then met and voted overwhelmingly in favour of the appointment of Efeturi who was then regarded as the most suitable candidate. As it were history has repeated itself. From the foregoing, it would appear that you have become overwhelmed by your personal interest to the detriment of the commission’s integrity, “ they said.

They also noted that at their 403rd meeting eight commissioners voted in favour of the memo presented by the senior staff committees for the appointment of Efeturi as Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, one commissioner abstained and non voted against it.

“By that appointment, the issue of seniority between Efeturi and Sani-Omolori has since been laid to rest. We make bold to say that any letter emanating from you at this time is an individual effort on your part without the consent of the commission and has not followed due process, “ the letter reads. 

However, one of the Commissioners, Idi Ningi distanced himself from his colleagues, saying he didn’t sign any protest letter against the appointment of Sani-Omolori.  

Tagged, “ I did not sign any protest letter”, Ningi in the statement said they met with Saraki at his Abuja residence over the issue penultimate Tuesday.

“Myself and one of my colleagues, Alhaji Rufai Tuta arrived after 7pm, having missed our way trying to locate the Senate President’s house. On arrival, we met four of our colleagues already seated - Elder Yepwi, Funmilayo Lamuye, Paul Oweh and Joseph Oru.

“About five minutes later, His Excellency, the Senate President walked in and after exchanging pleasantries, he spoke about the way the issue of the appointment of the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly was handled by the Commission and essentially expressed displeasure about it.

“My colleagues, who all spoke before me recalled their contributions at the meeting of the Commission where the decision on the appointment was taken. I spoke last and only offered apologies to His Excellency as it was apparent that he was not happy with the Commission; assuring him that we cannot annoy him intentionally. Mid-way into the meeting, the Deputy Senate President walked in and joined us.

“While I was speaking, one of my colleague (amongst the four we met at the residence) walked towards my seat with a sheet of paper which he gave to my colleague sitting close to me - Alhaji Rufai Tuta to sign and thereafter gave it to me. I noticed the paper was merely to write our name, the zone we represent and signature to indicate our attendance at the meeting and I signed accordingly, “he said.

Ningi who is representing North East geopolitical zone at the commission said he was shocked and surprised to learn that he signed a document, faulting Sani-Omolori’s appointment.

“No document was presented at the meeting and I did not sign any document but an attendance sheet. I could not have signed any document dissociating myself from the decision of the Commission as I had earlier (on the 19th April, 2016) in a hand written note - attached - expressed my support for the appointment of Alhaji Sani Omolori as the Clerk to the National Assembly in Acting capacity.

“Let me seize this opportunity to express my deep and sincere respect and loyalty to His Excellency, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the Deputy President of the Senate - Mr. Ike Ekweremadu and to pledge my unflinching loyalty to and confidence on the Executive Chairman of the Commission - Dr. Adamu Mohammed Fika, “he said.

A source familiar with the National Assembly politics said both Saraki and Fika are only trying to pay back their candidates. 

“It is just a pay back time, Saraki is trying to pay back his candidate for his support in June. Fika too is trying to reward Sani-Omolori because he played a role in his own emergence,” he said. 

As Friday draws nearer, it is yet to be seen whether Saraki will succeed in halting Sani-Omolori’s appointment. He is set to step into Maikasuwa’s shoes on that day.