Contract appointments seen as solution to tenure elongation in NASS bureaucracy

By John Alechenu, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu’s decision to withhold assent to a bill seeking to extend the service years of legislative officers in the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly from 35 to 40 years—and their retirement age from 60 to 65—has been widely welcomed as a commitment to upholding Public Service Rules.

Public servants hoping for career progression described the development as a relief, noting that the Public Service Act already allows for the retention of officers with specialized skills on short-term contracts to bridge critical gaps.

This framework is now being cited in support of the appointment of Emmanuel Rawlings Agada as substantive Clerk of the Senate by the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC). His confirmation, conveyed in a letter signed by NASC Chairman Chief Saviour Enyiekere, followed the commission’s 7th meeting held on August 6, 2025.

Agada, until now Deputy Clerk of the Senate, has been credited with guiding debates and resolving procedural challenges during plenary sessions. Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his colleagues reportedly took notice of his competence when he frequently stepped in to stabilize proceedings during the tenure of the immediate past clerk, Andrew Nwoba.

At one point, Akpabio had to intervene, approving a refresher course for Nwoba on chamber administration. In his absence, Agada acted as Clerk of the Senate, winning widespread commendation for his mastery of legislative rules and procedures.

Over his career, Agada has served in both chambers of the National Assembly and represented Nigeria at the Pan-African Parliament in South Africa. He also worked closely with Chinedu Akabueze, who retired as Senate Clerk in December 2024.

Despite his appointment, Agada is due for retirement soon, prompting discussions on retaining him beyond his statutory service years. Sources say the Senate leadership, under Akpabio, is considering invoking Section 4 (02401) of the Public Service Rules to keep him on contract for at least 12 months.

A senior National Assembly staff member, who spoke anonymously, said:

“Agada is one of our most senior and experienced legislative bureaucrats. Call him the last of the Titans and you won’t be wrong. The President’s decision not to extend retirement age aligns with existing civil service provisions. In specialized areas like ours, experienced hands can be retained post-retirement to mentor younger officers and sustain institutional memory.”

The development underscores the growing preference for contract appointments as a viable alternative to tenure elongation in legislative bureaucracy.

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