National Assembly Commission Bypasses Senior Official Akubueze, Appoints Tambuwal As Acting Clerk
Tambuwal, until his appointment, was the secretary of the directorate of finance and accounts in the national assembly.
The National Assembly Commission has created confusion with its appointment of Magaji Tambuwal as the acting clerk of the National Assembly while reportedly bypassing the most senior official in the management, Chinedu Akubueze.
Tambuwal, until his appointment, was the secretary of the directorate of finance and accounts in the national assembly, is said not to be the most senior official in the management. The National Assembly Service Act listed the offices of the commission to include clerk to the national assembly, 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, and secretaries to the directorates.
The National Assembly Commission Act gives the Commission five directorates including corporate affairs; legal services; finance and accounts; procurement, estate and works, and common services office.
Recall that the Office of the Head of Service had said it was in order for Olatunde Ojo, outgoing clerk, to continue working during his retirement leave, but the national assembly commission asked Ojo to begin his leave that took effect on Monday. Following Ojo's leave, Chinedu Akubueze who is the clerk of the senate, is said to be the next in line owing to the fact that the deputy clerk of the national assembly, Bala Yabani, has retired.
However, TheCable reports that in a letter dated November 18, the chairman of the national assembly commission, Ahmed Amshi, said Tambuwal’s appointment was based on section 6(b) of the commission service act, which gives the commission the power to “appoint persons to hold or act in the offices.”
But section 14(5) of the act which centres on appointment states that “Consideration shall be given to seniority, cognate experience, competence, or federal character.”
But Amshi said that Tambuwal’s appointment is as a result of his “hard work” and “administrative competence.”
The appointment letter read, “I write to inform you that the Commission at its 565th Meeting held on Friday, 18th November, 2022, approved your appointment as Acting Clerk to the National Assembly w.e.f. 18th November, 2022.
“This is in exercise of its powers as provided in Section 6(b) of the National Assembly Service Act 2014. It is therefore expected that you will continue to uphold the confidence reposed in you.”
Meanwhile, the secretary of legal services, Ogunlana Kamoru, was also appointed as acting deputy clerk of the National Assembly.
-sahara reporters
