The National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) has announced the appointment of an acting clerk for the National Assembly, thereby effectively retiring Mohammed Sani-Omolori, the outgoing clerk.
In a statement signed by Ahmed Kadi-Amshi, Chairman of NASC, on Friday, the commission announced the appointment of Olatunde Ojo from Ilobu in Osun State, as the acting new Clerk of the National Assembly.
The commission also announced other positions including the 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 of Representatives, secretaries to directorates, among others.
The statement partly read: “Pursuant to its mandate as provided in the National Assembly Service Act 2014 (as amended), Section 6(b) which states, ‘…appoint persons to hold or act in the offices of Clerk to the National Assembly, the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, Clerk of the Senate, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Deputy Clerk of the Senate, Deputy Clerk of House of Representatives, secretaries to directorates, and holders of other offices that shall be created by the commission on the recommendation of the Clerk to the National Assembly.’
“The National Assembly Service Commission, at an emergency meeting held on Friday, July 17, 2020, has approved the appointments of some senior management staff for the service. All appointments are with immediate effect.”
According to the statement, Mohammed Bala is the new acting deputy clerk to the National Assembly while El-Laden Dauda is the acting clerk to the Senate.
The commission said Patrick Giwa is to remain clerk, House of Representatives “pending his retirement in November, 2020,” while Yusuf Dambata is the new acting secretary to the National Assembly Service Commission.
Kadi-Amshi had in a statement on Wednesday announced that the NASC has approved the retirement of Sani-Omolori as Clerk to the National Assembly and over 150 senior management staff members of the federal parliament.
The NASC stated that it approved the immediate retirement of persons who have spent 35 years in service or attained 60 years of age.
But Sani-Omolori kicked, insisting that the NASC lacks the power to take such a decision.
He had been due for retirement since February 2020 but continued working following a controversial amendment to the Conditions of Service of the National Assembly by the eighth Assembly, which extended his and others’ services by five years.
Sani-Omolori insisted in a statement on Wednesday that the NASC could not reverse the decision of the National Assembly by fiat, noting that that the retirement age for staff of the National Assembly is 40 years of Service or 65 years of age.
Following his statement, the commission issued a query to the embattled clerk over his failure to proceed on retirement.
The query dated 16 July, was signed by Kadi-Amshi.
Sani-Omolori, who was asked to reply to the query within 24 hours, had acknowledged its receipt and said he would respond to it “accordingly”.
