Politicising National Assembly Clerk’s Appointment Threatening Nigerian Democracy, Says CSO

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

A civil society organization (CSO), Project Nigeria (PN) has lamented the politicisation of the appointment of the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA) and other management positions.

It described the development as a threat to the nation’s democracy. PN made its position known in a statement in Abuja, by its Director General, Tabuko Kennedy and General Secretary, Dahiru Mustapha.

It nevertheless, commended the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), “for subjugating narrow self-interests for patriotic zeal and instincts in arriving at its recent appointments into the bureaucracy of the National Assembly.”

The statement read in part: “We say unequivocally that the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) deliberately took into consideration ‘career path progression and seniority’, obtainable in the statutory rules of Public Service and the Staff conditions of service of the National Assembly with cognisance to the ‘principle of federal character’ as a cardinal yardstick for appointment into the office of the Clerk to the National Assembly and other vacant positions.

“We have watched with consternation the recent unwarranted succession struggle within the National Assembly bureaucracy as stakeholders in democracy and human rights.

“It may interest you to know that we painstakingly monitored developments, regarding the new appointments made by the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) and concluded that it is in line with the powers vested in the Commission in Section 6 (b) of NASC Act which justified the outcome of its 565th meeting held on November 18, 2022.

“We use this medium to commend the appointment of Sani Magaji Tambuwal as the new Acting Clerk to the National Assembly, and others recently appointed into top management positions.

“We are perturbed that few altruistic narcissists within the bureaucracy recently resorted to cheap, wicked, frivolous blackmail and character assassination of credible personalities; as an opposition to the recent fantastic, patrotic decisions taken by the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) a constituted authority.

“As discerning observers, it’s obvious that the high voltage drama and avoidable power struggle within the National Assembly bureaucracy threatens our democracy and its institution.”

“This structurised and ritualised game of ‘pull him down’ syndrome and the ember of self-destruction being fanned by a cabal is unprecedented in the history of the Nigerian legislature.

“We call on the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) to commence an urgent enquiry for those behind this evil tendency as that will serve as deterrent to others.

“This worrying situation can erupt into unmanageable crisis within the National Assembly. We resolved that those who continuously resort to outright lies and politicising the recent appointments made by the National Assembly Service Commission, must be stopped and exposed.

“They have become ‘danger’ to the nation’s highest legislative body and capable to provoke further instability in the system.

“With cognisance to the Act setting up the NASC, which gives it power to appoint, promote and discipline staff of the National Assembly Service, the President of the Senate and the Speaker, House of Representatives should direct the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) with the help of security agencies within the National Assembly to deploy its full statutory power, to fish out those top management staff placing daggers at the throats of the Nigerian legislature, because of their desperation to ascend to the position of Clerk to the National Assembly.

“The National Assembly as the only symbol of democracy must be seen to be creating conducive environment for the facilitation of peace and enhancement of harmony.”