National Assembly clerk’s appointment reversed by Saraki

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Friday, ordered the immediate reversal of the appointment of Mr. Mohammed Sani-Omolori as the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly.

Saraki, who is also the Chairman of the National Assembly, has therefore directed the withdrawal of the letter of appointment already issued to Sani-Omolori.

This is contained in a memorandum entitled, “Withdrawal of letter of appointment of Acting Clerk of the National Assembly”, dated April 22, 2016, and obtained by our correspondent.

The development, according to some National Assembly sources, would definitely create a major division in the bureaucracy of the federal parliament.

The letter was addressed to the Executive Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission, Dr. Adamu Fika, and signed by Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Senator Isa Galaudu.

Sani-Omolori was appointed on Tuesday to replace Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, who is scheduled to proceed on terminal leave on May 14, 2016.

There has been an uneasy calm among parliamentary staff since the appointment of Sani- Omolori.

The parliamentary staff had argued that seniority was not followed in the appointment.

Saraki, in his letter, questioned how the Commission ignored the directive that it should follow due process and ensure that seniority was adhered to in the appointment of a new clerk of the National Assembly.

He said the Commission, had also ignored the directive that the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Benedict Efeturi, who had acted as the Clerk of the National Assembly, should be the first to be considered.

The letter reads, “We present to you the compliments of the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Distinguished Senator, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON.

“Please recall that during your last meeting with the President of the Senate on April 20, 2016, the procedure of the appointment of the Acting Clerk of 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 the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, 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 President of the Senate the outcome of the Commission’s meeting before a letter of appointment is issued and regrettably, that did not happen.

“The President of the Senate and 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 enquiries, we found he was duly appointed by the National Assembly Service Commission.

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

Our correspondent learnt that the failure of the National Assembly Service Commission to follow seniority in the appointment of the Acting Clerk, was capable of causing serious bureaucratic crisis in the federal parliament.

A senior management staff said, “This is an affront on the guiding principles of the appointment and promotion in the National Assembly.

“Even if Efeturi was not going to be appointed on the grounds of seniority and the fact that he is Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, reasons should have been provided by the appointing authorities in order not to create bad blood in the system.”

The civil servant, who is an assistant director, added that it was not clear how the issue would be resolved.

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