Veto Bill Extending Our Service Years — NASS Staff to Tinubu
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Veto Bill Extending Our Service Years — NASS Staff to Tinubu
By Roselyn James
Approximately two months after both chambers of the National Assembly enacted a measure increasing the years of service for Parliament workers from 60 to 65 years, dissatisfied employees have petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to veto the bill.
In a letter to President Tinubu obtained by INCNews247, the staff expressed that “the bill in its current form poses significant constitutional bottlenecks and raises concerns about opacity in the legislative process.”
Akobo Teinye Tonbo Seddon, legal adviser to the Foundation for Rights Enforcement Enlightenment and Defence, wrote on behalf of the aggrieved staff.
He stated that the “bill’s provisions, while they seek to extend the tenure of the clerk beyond the established retirement age, undermine the principles of fairness, equity, and justice. It sets a dangerous precedent, potentially leading to a culture of tenure elongation for other public officials, thereby compromising integrity.”
In the letter, which was also sent to the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, the petitioners argued that the “bill violates the clear provisions of the constitution that establish the National Assembly and define the terms and conditions of service for its officials.”
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“Specifically, Section 51 of the Constitution states that ‘There shall be a clerk to the National Assembly and such other staff as may be prescribed by an act of the National Assembly, and the clerk and other staff of the National Assembly shall be appointed in accordance with that act,'” the letter reads.
“Therefore, the clerk of the National Assembly is a constitutional post with terms and conditions of service, including the retirement age provided in the constitution. Any modifications to these terms and conditions will necessitate a constitutional revision, as provided in Section 9 of the Constitution.”
“The National Assembly can legislate on matters related to the administration of the National Assembly, but cannot unilaterally alter the constitutional provisions relating to the clerk’s service years without following the proper procedure of constitutional amendment,” the letter concludes.
