1st February, 2018
The National Assembly Legislative Forum on Thursday elected Mr Samuel Melaye as its new Chairman.
Melaye’s emergence as the new leader of the forum followed a prolonged leadership controversy.
The controversial elections held in March 2016, which was observed by the National Assembly bureaucracy, had produced Melaye, who was the former chairman, and Mr John Udeh, as chairmen of two factional groups.
However, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Omolori, while inaugurating the new officials, said that the issues which led to the existence of the two factions had been resolved.
Sani-Omolori said: “Why the issue has not been resolved before now was due to the fact that security agencies and a team of legal experts were deployed to look into the issues that led to the division.’’
He acknowledged that “the outcome of the inquiry revealed that there was a valid election”, adding that same will be upheld by the management of the National Assembly.
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The clerk advised leaders of the association to close ranks in the interest of all legislative aides.
Speaking shortly after his inauguration, Melaye told newsmen that “the forum would be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to enhance its engagement with the management of the National Assembly regarding members’ welfare and conditions of service’’.
He urged bona-fide members of the forum and the general public to ignore the fictitious story meant to cause friction amongst members and portray the group in bad light.
Melaye, while pledging to protect the interest of the association, said he remained committed towards
“uniting all members and protecting the collective interest of the NASS Legislative Aides.
“Diligent service to our bosses can only be achieved when the members work in unity,” he said.