The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.
Abbas Tajudeen, has ordered a full investigation into allegations of an
“unfair” recruitment exercise within the National Assembly bureaucracy.
The directive was disclosed in a statement on Sunday
by the House Spokesman, Rep. Akin Rotimi Jr., who emphasized that recruitment
into the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) is solely the
responsibility of the Commission, which is a statutory and independent body.
Rotimi stressed that the exercise was conducted on the
principles of merit, Federal Character, and inclusiveness, adding that
claims of regional bias are “false, divisive, and unhelpful.”
“In line with its oversight mandate, the Speaker has
directed the House Committee on Public Service Matters to investigate the
recruitment exercise and report back to the House,” Rotimi said.
He clarified that the House leadership neither
conducted nor influenced the recruitment, insisting that the process was fair
and reflective of Nigeria’s diversity.
Unity in the Green Chamber
Rotimi dismissed reports of internal conflict, noting that suggestions of a
looming “showdown” at plenary are exaggerated. He said informal conversations
from Members’ WhatsApp groups had been misrepresented in the media as official
positions of House caucuses.
“With 360 members representing every part of Nigeria,
the House reflects the country’s full diversity. While members are free to
express views, such opinions do not amount to official House resolutions,” he
stated.
Fiscal Realities and Constituency Projects
On constituency projects, Rotimi acknowledged that delayed contractor payments
have created tensions but explained that the challenge is national and not
peculiar to lawmakers’ projects. He confirmed that the House leadership,
through the Appropriations Committees, has been engaging the Finance Ministry
to clear pending 2024 obligations.
“The leadership remains committed to transparency,
inclusiveness, and fairness in fulfilling its constitutional mandate,” he
added.
The House of Representatives is expected to resume
plenary on September 23, 2025.
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