Why Sani-Omolori was appointed N’Assembly Clerk ahead of Efeturi’

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Details of how the National Assembly Service Commission nominated Mohammed Sani-Omolori ahead of Ben Efeturi for the position of the acting Clerk to the National Assembly, have emerged.

The Commission had last Wednesday picked Mr. Sani-Omolori, currently the Clerk of the House of Representatives, as the next Clerk to the National Assembly.

He will succeed Salisu Maikasuwa, who is proceeding on retirement leave on May 14.

The Commission said Mr. Sani-Omolori would assume duties on May 13.

However, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who is the Chairman of the National Assembly, has faulted the procedure adopted in choosing the new acting Clerk.

He argued in a letter to the chairman of National Assembly Service Commission, Adamu Fika, that Mr. Efeturi should have been considered for the position since he (Efeturi) is currently the deputy clerk.

“The President of the Senate and the 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,” Mr. Saraki said in the letter signed by his Chief of Staff, Isa Galaudu.

“On further enquiry, we found he was duly appointed by the National Assembly Service Commission vide Extract from Minutes of its 403rd Meeting held on Friday, 21st November, 2014.

But in a memorandum, he submitted to the 440th meeting of the Commission held on April 20, Mr. Fika explained that Mr. Efeturi was not appointed to the position because he would proceed on retirement leave on August 2.

He said in conformity with the convention and practices of the service no officer who has less than six months to retire would act in higher office.

“Mr. Benedict Efeturi, who presently acts as Deputy Clerk to National Assembly, will also proceed on his three months terminal leave on 2nd August, 2016 days before the end of the current Clerk’s terminal leave,” he said.

“It is neither expedient nor in conformity with convention and practices of the Service for an officer who has less than six months left to retire from service to act in a higher office.

“Mr. Mohammed Sani-Omolori, the present Clerk of the House of Representatives who therefore remains the next most senior officer in the services of the National Assembly will remain in service till 2021.”

Meanwhile, there are indications that Mr. Saraki opposition to Mr. Sani-Omolori’s appointment was in violation of the Act establishing NASC as amended.

According to the Acts, the Commission is not subjected to the direction of any authority or person in considering anybody for appointment.

Section 6 (8) of the Act says, “In exercising its power to make appointments or exercise disciplinary control over persons, the Commission shall not be subjected to the direction or control of any authority or person.”

It is not clear if the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, would back the decision of Mr. Saraki to oppose the appointment of Mr. Sani-Omolori’s appointment.

The senate president had claimed in his letter that he and the speaker were misled and misinformed by Mr. Fika during the appointment process.

One of Mr. Dogara’s aides, who requested not to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, told this newspaper that the speaker was not in support of the senate president.

The aide alleged that although Messrs Efeturi and Sani-Omolori joined the clerk cadre the same day – March 25, 2010, the latter was junior in rank and was chosen ahead of him (Sani-Omolori) for the position of deputy clerk.