By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
The Conference of Civil Societies has vowed to investigate recent media reports that alleged some official infractions against the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal.
The Coordinator of the non-governmental organisation, Adams Otakwu, stated this at a news conference in Abuja over the weekend.
He disclosed plans to also involve the security and the intelligence community in the planned investigations.
The group noted with concern, the negative stories published in the media last week without the reaction of the National Assembly management.
Some online publications had alleged that the CNA transmitted a false Real Estate Regulatory Council Bill of Nigeria ACT 2023 to President Bola Tinubu, but was rejected.
The group explained that bills from the Senate or the House are usually sent to the office of the Clerk, from where they would be transmitted to the legal department.
The legal department it added, would scrutinize the grey areas while the document would be returned to the Clerk of either the Senate or the House, for harmonization.
After the harmonisation, the group noted that the bill would be sent again to the legal department in the National Assembly for onward transmission to the CNA, who would then transmit it to the then the Clerk of the Assembly before the Clerk sends it to the Presidency for assent.
“In the presidency, the legal department also subjects the Bills to scrutiny to ensure the Bill does not conflict with extant laws, the president either decides to send such a Bill back to the National Assembly for corrections or amendment where necessary.
“While the management of the National Assembly is not immune from investigations, the media practitioners should not be used as pawns in the political chess game by those who lost out in any contest in National Assembly management leadership
“The activities of these individuals and groups who hide under the umbrella of civil societies to blackmail and extort public officials.
Otakwu said that civil society organisations, security agencies, and the intelligence community should identify those behind the negative stories in the interest of national security and development.
The group also warned against attempts by some civil society groups to distract the Clerk to the National Assembly through blackmail and spurious allegations that are unfounded and misleading in the performance of his duties.
It noted that since Tambawal assumed office as the CNA, there has been a sterling improvement in staff welfare and communication in the National Assembly bureaucracy.
Otakwu said, “It is a fact that since Mr. Sani Magaji Tambuwal emerged as the CNA in November 2022 and his eventual confirmation in March this year, there have been remarkable improvements in staff welfare and communication with top management within the National Assembly bureaucracy.
“He has effected the payment of N3.7bn outstanding entitlements within a few months in office and the upgrade of the National Assembly clinic with plans for the state-of-the-art equipment.
“He has eased the transportation needs of workers with eight new buses and effecting the payment of N35,000 palliative grant, from September 2023.
“We wish to further state that, we have diligently followed his leadership and management style and it is gratifying to know and see that all outstanding workers’ welfare packages and entitlements are being cleared as well as an increase in training and retraining for all cadres of staff in the NASS service.
“It is on this note and many more that we call on Mr. Tambuwal to remain focused, and accountable and ignore mischief makers and those given to blackmail and trading in spurious allegations.
“People should be guided by their conscience in all that they do so as not to impugn on the integrity and reputation of honest leaders, desirous for the right things to be done.”
The group also condemned the recent attempt at drawing Tambawal, into what is strictly a responsibility of the clerks of the upper and lower legislative chambers.
