House of Reps overturn’s Buhari’s extension of permanent secretary’s tenure

– The House of Reps directs Jamila Shu’ara, a permanent secretary of the federal ministry of education to cease being a civil servant with immediate effect – The House says President Buhari has no power under the 1999 constitution or any other existing law to extend or elongate the tenure of a permanent secretary whose tenure had expired .

secretary has been reversed by the House of Representatives.

The decision is coming a day after speaker, Yakubu Dogara, warned that said Nigerian legislators could override Buhari if he vetoes the Nigerian Peace Corps bill which seeks to make the private organisation an agency of government. Moving against the extension of tenure, the lawmakers on Thursday, March 30, also directed that Jamila Shu’ara, a permanent secretary of the federal ministry of education should cease to be a civil servant with immediate effect, Daily Post reports.

Further, the House ordered the head of service of the federation (HoCSF), Winifred Oyo-Ita to carry out the order and ensure that all emoluments enjoyed till date by Shu’ara since February 2016 when she was formally disengaged were returned.

The lower chamber described the extension of tenure of the retired permanent secretary by the president as a violation of the Constitution It said the president had no power under section 171(2)(d) of the 1999 constitution or any other existing law to extend or elongate the tenure of a Permanent Secretary whose tenure had expired by time or age, whichever comes first. Meanwhile,

plusmilang.com reports that House of Representatives member Nse Ekpenyong who was earlier arraigned at the Federal High Court in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital over alleged forgery of his polytechnic diploma, has been remanded in prison for failing to meet the bail conditions. Premium Times reports that Ekpenyong, who represents Oron Federal Constituency as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, was arraigned before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Uyo, by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on nine count charges, one of which was forgery of his national diploma certificate from Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Abia state.