Tenure extension of n’assembly clerk illegal, says HoS

Folasade Yemi-Esan, head of service (HoS), has faulted the extension of service of Mohammed Sani-Omolori, clerk of the national assembly.

TheCable had reported how Sani-Omolori would spend five more years in office despite attaining retirement age.

Federal lawmakers had amended the relevant laws without a public hearing. The amended law for the tenure elongation did not get the assent of the president.

In a memo to Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, Yemi-Esan said the public service rules provide only “for attainment of 60 years of age or 35 years of service for an officer to retire, whichever comes earlier”.

“The 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria (as amended) classifies the clerk and other staff of the national assembly as public servants whose conditions of service are guided by the public service rules which derives its existence from section 169 made pursuant to section 160(1) of the constitution,” she said.

“In specific terms, section 318(1) of the constitution states that ‘public service of the federation means the service of any capacity in respect of the government of the federation and includes as (a) clerk or other staff of the national assembly or of each house of the national assembly’.”