Disquiet In NASS Commission Over Appointment Of New Clark

There is unease at the National Assembly Service Commission in Abuja over attempts by some political heavyweights to influence the appointment of a new clerk of the commission.

Our correspondent gathered that the current clerk of the National Assembly, Oyetunde Ojo, is set to retire but there are plans to influence members of the commission to appoint a non-legislative cadre as replacement.

But such appointment, according  to findings, will likely distort the hierarchy within the wider civil service and bring the service to disrepute.

The job of the clerk to the National Assembly is that of a chief adviser to both the president of the senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives and also, to communicate to all state Houses of Assembly, matters relating to the concurrence of the parliament in the tiers of government in Nigeria. This thematic job description cannot be effectively achieved by a non-legislative cadre officer, it was gathered.

This is even as the commission’s members would be meeting on Monday on the new appointment, where they would be reportedly influenced to ensure the appointment of their choice clerk who is believed to be unsuitable.

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According to a top source in the National Assembly, plans are being hatched ahead of the commission’s meeting on Monday to persuade members to appoint someone from the North West.

There are currently protests against this decision, as many of the workers opined that the nominee is a core finance staff member whose role it is to oversee the management of funds, but lacks the necessary skills set to competently run the office of the clerk to the National Assembly.

One of the sources said, “The outgoing clerk, Ojo, is also not from the legislative cadre, and he has since his appointment as Clerk to the National Assembly, proven to be a wrong choice. Under him, the commission has gone backward.

The service rule, mandates him to proceed on a three months pre-retirement leave, which is preparatory to his retirement from service. He was alleged to have written to the National Assembly Service Commission about his decision not to comply with the service rules, and be allowed to stay in office, without complying with the service rule.

“So they are doing everything possible to foist another incompetent hand on the omission. As they prepare for the meeting on November 14, we heard that each commissioner would be given up to a million to confirm his appointment.”