Group cautions against attempt to ignore Federal Character in appointment of N’Assembly clerk

A human rights group has warned against efforts to ignore Federal Character principle and the Public Service Rules (PSR) in the appointment of a new clerk for the National Assembly.

The group, Alliance for Good Governance and Human Rights Watch International, made the call in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Trevor Pottle, Executive Secretary, Uchanna Richard and Director Cooperative Affairs, Rilwan Otedola, in Abuja on Wednesday.

The group was reacting to alleged move to install the Permanent Secretary, Legal Matters in the National Assembly, Bala Yabani as the next clerk to the National Assembly (CNA) in disregard to seniority as enshrined in the PSR.

It said appointing Yabani, who hails from Yobe State as the new clerk, would amount to setting a dangerous precedent.

It said that was especially, as the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and the Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), Ahmed Kadi-Amshi, both hail from Yobe State.

The human rights group said, “Our independent investigation, which was borne out of our commitment to fair play, justice and equity, reveals that Yabani is not the most senior in the hierarchy according to the nominal roll of the National Assembly staff.

“Therefore, elevating him above his seniors will not advance the spirit and moral tone of the nation’s Parliament.

“We also regret to mention that conceding the position of the Clerk to the National Assembly to Mr Yabani, who is from Yobe State like the Senate President and the Chairman of the NASC, will amount to Yobe state being unduly in control of an Arm of Government and this clearly contravenes the Federal Character principles in a democratic institution that is supposed to uphold the rule of law and constitutionalism.”

Noting that the alleged ongoing attempt to breach and negate the constitution was not only dangerous and injurious to the stability of the NASS bureaucracy, the group added that it could also deepen ethnic and religious fault lines in the country.

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“Findings also revealed another breach of Federal Character Principle, with the recommendation of the current Clerk to the Senate who is expected to proceed on retirement leave ahead of his retirement in August 2020 for the position of the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly (DCNA) and the Clerk, House of Representatives (CHR) who will also retire by August 2020, are both from Edo State.

“In as much we are not against the elevation or ambition of any deserving public officer, we seriously frown against attempts to fuel embers of polarization through lopsided appointment by giving undue preference to a state or section of the country over others.

“There is no gain-saying the fact that skewed appointments into office will create distortion in the public service structure while it favours some and frustrates others.

“Besides, it is also capable of bringing ruin and destruction to the nation’s premier parliamentary institution.

“We further note the great danger it poses to the PSR with so much interference in the bureaucratic administration by politicians as the NASC panders to the political consideration of the lawmakers to choose the Clerk to the National Assembly without due regard for merit.

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“We therefore call on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives and the Chairman, NASC, to abide by their oaths of office as leaders and stop this potential flagrant disregard for the Constitution, PSR and the rule of law,” the statement read.

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