Rumblings In C-River Assembly Over ‘Sit-Tight’ Clerk

• Refuses to quit six months after retirement 

BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – Barely two weeks after its inauguration, the 10th Cross River State House of Assembly is currently drenched in what insiders described as an avoidable controversy over its administrative leadership.

Competent sources said the once peaceful legislature is battling with the legal status of the Clerk of the Assembly, Mr Adie Akabisong, who allegedly should have exited from Service over six months ago on reaching the statutory retirement age.

Forefront News findings showed that Mr Akabisong, instead of quitting the post honorably on retirement, rather stayed back as the Clerk to inaugurate the 10th Assembly on 13th June 2023, and officially swear-in Hon Elvert Ayambem as the new Speaker.

It was alleged that the retired Clerk ignored the possible legal implications of his actions given that they went against the memo issued by the Governor, through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Anthony Owan Enoh, directing all Civil Servants on retirement, but still in service, to immediately hand over to the most senior officers and exit the Service.

Feelers from the Assembly indicated that Mr Akabisong should not have presided over the inauguration because he was no longer occupying the office legally since his retirement from Service took effect six months back.

However, amid the ongoing rumpus, competent sources said Akabisong may not have contravened any law as presented by opposing camps having purportedly received approval in principle from higher authorities to stay put in office until further notice.

But those opposed to the status quo remaining are insisting that the so-called approval-in-principle is contrary to the existing ban on service extension either through contract appointments or otherwise which is yet to be revoked by the State government.

Forefront News learnt that the embattled Clerk’s continued stay in office may have inadvertently stalled the House plenary sessions, as the lawmakers are said to be working behind the scene to ward off any possibility of being trapped in a legal cul-de-sac that could also lead to a preventable judicial intervention.

One of the lawmakers, who offered his perspective on condition of anonymity, described the current happenings as ‘power play’ among some interest groups seeking to have their cronies take over as the Clerk in this new dispensation.

He specifically hinted that there is a camp backing the Deputy Clerk, Dominic Akiba to take over the realms of power in line with existing protocols in the State Civil Service, arguing that it is unfair and against natural justice for the retired Clerk to stay on when there are other capable hands to diligently and dutifully serve in that office.

The lawmaker further said it would be setting a bad precedent keeping the retired Clerk and urged the Head of Service to act promptly and appropriately to resolve the lingering leadership tussle in the Assembly

Our usual reliable sources also hinted that the new House Leadership is also not leaving anything to chance on the issue as there is ongoing engagement with relevant authorities to ensure an amicable resolution of all the issues involved in the case.

It was gathered that during the tenure of Ntunkai Mrs Theresa Ikwuen as the State Head of Service about six years ago, a Civil Service circular was issued banning contract appointments in the state, and the government has not given any counter directive to the said circular.

Consequently, insiders said in this circular lies the strength of those pushing for the Deputy Clerk of the Assembly Mr Dominic Akiba to take over even if it is in acting capacity in line with extant Civil Service rules and regulations.

The argument being advanced is that since there is no executive order setting aside the ban on contract appointments or service extension after retirement, the purported ‘approval-in-principle’ favouring Akabisong to continue as the substantive clerk over six months after his statutory retirement age is null and void.

Meanwhile, there are also emerging signals suggesting other interested parties in the controversy, particularly among some ‘aggrieved’ legislators said to be unhappy with the process that brought the new House leaders into office.

Reliable sources said this group is already postulating that should Akabisong’s role as the Clerk, who presided over the 10th Assembly’s inauguration, be affected by the State government’s directives on contract appointments and service extension, then it would invalidate and render the emergence of the new House leadership illegal and of no effect in the eyes of the law.

Equally, the Cross River State Council of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is said to be following the development with keen interest.

Insiders within the Labour Movement hinted that if Mr Akabisong officially enjoys the privilege of continuing in office as the substantive Clerk, such entitlement must be across board and extended to all those recently affected by the State government directives.