NASC commissioners reject Sani-Omolori as acting clerk

• Pass vote of no confidence on chairman

Seven of the 13 Commissioners in the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) have rejected the appointment of Mohammed Sani-Omolori as Acting Clerk of the National Assembly.

In a letter to the Chairman of the Commission, Adamu Fika, they also passed a vote of no confidence on Fika.

The letter conveying their stance was copied to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

The affected commissioners include Abubakar Rufai (North West); Idi Ningi (North East); Joseph Oru (South South) and Paul Oweh (South South).

Other signatories were Stephen Yepwi (North Central); Mrs. Oluwafunmilola Lamuye (South West) and Abel Chukwu (South East).

They contended that contrary to reports, at the commission’s meeting of April 20, 2016 only one commissioner supported the appointment while five opposed just five others were silent.

“Re: Appointment of Acting Clerk of National Assembly. The Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission would please recall that you convened an emergency meeting of the commission on Wednesday, 20th April 2016, where you presented a memo for appointment of an Acting Clerk of National Assembly.

“At the meeting, though there were divergent views as follows: Five Commissioners vehemently opposed the memo; five Commissioners made no comment, while only endorsed the memo.

“Strangely you ruled that the memo had carried and Mr. Mohammed Sani-Omolori is appointed the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly.

“You went ahead to issue a letter of appointment to Mr. Sani-Omolori right after the meeting, against the commission’s norm of adopting the minutes of the meeting at another meeting before carrying out decisions taken.

“The above actions of yours have attracted undue negative publicity to the commission and greatly depleted our integrity.

“Also recall that in November 2014, you unilaterally issued a letter of appointment to the same Sani-Omolori as Deputy Clerk until members wrote, dissociating themselves from your action.

“Eleven commissioners out of twelve signed that letter. The commission then met and voted overwhelmingly in favour of the appointment of Mr. Ben Efeturi who was regarded as the most suitable candidate.