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Kamorudeen Ogunlana Assumes Office as Ninth Clerk to the National Assembly

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…commend his predecessor’s leadership, integrity
…pledge to foster inclusivity, teamwork within NASS
By Gloria Ikibah
Barrister Kamorudeen Ogunlana has officially taken over as the Ninth Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA) since 1993.
The handover ceremony took place on Saturday evening at the National Assembly complex, Abuja, with management staff and dignitaries in attendance.
During the event, the outgoing CNA, Sani Magaji Tambuwal, expressed gratitude and formally transferred authority, and stated: “I formally hand over this document on the National Assembly to Kamorudeen Ogunlana.”
In his acceptance speech, Barrister Ogunlana praised his predecessor’s leadership and integrity, and emphasised the significance of the office of the CNA.
He said: “Today is historic. I want to start by congratulating the CNA. It is an achievement for you to start a journey and complete it. It is not just to complete it, you completed it with your reputation intact.
“The office of the Clerk to the National Assembly is one of the few offices that the Commission actually created. You may see some Chief Executives, Perm Secs, no, no, no. The Clerk to the National Assembly is one of the few offices that the Commission actually created.
“Within the National Assembly Service, apart from the Public Complaint Commission, it’s only the Clerk to the National Assembly that is mentioned. Now that position is not just cosmetic, we all know the role of the Clerk to the National Assembly, and that role is actually evolving.”
Ogunlana likened the Clerk’s responsibilities to those of a Head of Service, managing thousands of staff, legislative aides, and high-ranking officials.
“Today, when I look at the Clerk, I see the equivalent of Head of Service. Some of you feel maybe the Clerk is an equivalent of Perm Sec, no, we’ve moved beyond that.
“It doesn’t just end there, we are talking of somebody that is managing over 4,000 staff within this confined space. We are talking about a person that manages over 7,000 Legislative Aides, then not to talk of the VIPs – the lawmakers.
“Within this space, we have the number 3 and the number 4 Citizens. Within this space.
“Do you know what it means for the President of this country to come to your domain? Do you know what it takes to host the President? Anytime they say the President is coming, for us, it’s like a one-month affair, we don’t sleep! But this man was able to navigate those terrains successfully”.
He commended Tambuwal for mentoring his successor, asserting that, “No matter how good you are, if you don’t groom your successor, you are a failure in the area. This man actually groomed his successor.
“Now, I’ve heard people talking about successor, successor, this man has actually passed the first test of leadership. Why do I say that he has passed the first test of leadership? Leadership is very challenging, it’s not enough for you to have intellect, how you comport yourself matters. Not to even talk of commanding your followers. But I’ve watched him thoroughly, I saw that.
“I’ve already read out his legacy, so, when it comes to legacy, even generations of his children, when they come here, there are things that they will point to: it was under my father’s regime that this was done. So, you have actually left an enduring legacy, sir.”
Reflecting on Tambuwal’s achievements, Ogunlana highlighted financial strides made under his leadership
“Just yesterday or two days ago, I was compelled to highlight his achievements. I’ve listened to you, two things, even though you did not exhaust them, but let me just mention two things that you have left out consistently because I clerked the Committee on Judiciary in the House of Reps. When I was there, I took them from an annual budgetary allocation of less than one billion to about 100 billion.
“Consistently, because the judiciary and the parliament enjoy what they call first-line charge, so most times there’s this coincidence between the two. I don’t know whether it’s deliberate, but whatever they give the judiciary, that’s what they give the National Assembly. So, we were like that up to 130 billion for each.
“But there’s something about this man that people do not know. So I need to bring that up because I was with the Appropriation Chairmen and they mentioned it. They say it’s because of this man that they have to now increase the benchmark to 344”, he added.
Outlining his vision, Ogunlana pledged to foster inclusivity and teamwork within the National Assembly.
“I intend to democratize decision-making. There is no way I will sit down here because I don’t know it all. I have the legal and the legislative background, but I can’t claim to be an expert when it comes to financial issues, and that is where he comes in. I’m very happy that even though he’s leaving, he’s not really leaving”, he stated.

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2027: Wike rallies support for Tinubu In Akpor kingdom, Insists He’II resign as Minister should president lose FCT, Rivers(Photos)

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The ​Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Friday declared that his political alignment with President Bola Tinubu remains unshakable, rallying the political structure of Rivers State to consolidate support for the President.

​”My interest in Rivers State is for God to use me as a vessel to help our people. I am back here not for what I will get, but for what I will be to raise my people”, Wike declared during a strategic consultative meeting with stakeholders of the Akpor Kingdom in Obio-Akpor Local Government, Rivers State, Wike emphasized that politics is driven by the collective interest of the people rather than perpetual animosity.

He also reiterated his decision to resign his position as Minister should President Tinubu lose in Rivers State and the FCT.

​The former governor of Rivers State maintained that expanding the political base is essential for delivering democratic dividends.

He said; “there is no permanent enemy in politics what we have is permanent collective interest.

“It is all about the interest of our people. The more you are in number, the happier you become. Leadership is like a waste dustbin. If you cannot absorb things, both the good and the bad, then you cannot be a true leader.”

Reflecting on the political trajectory that led to his appointment as FCT Minister, Wike noted that working with President Tinubu was an extraordinary milestone that defied political convention.

He stressed that his return to grassroots mobilization in Rivers State is aimed at leveraging his position as a vessel to uplift the state and its people.

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​”You know how difficult, you know how impossible it looked, but he made it possible for us to produce the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,” Wike told the gathering.

​He charged political actors in the state not to be distracted by social media criticism regarding his open-door policy toward former detractors, asserting that true political strength lies in numerical superiority.

In a fiery charge to local leaders, Wike demanded an all-inclusive campaign structure spanning every stratum of society in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.

He called on traditional rulers, clergy, and community leaders to unite behind a single political direction.

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​”Obio-Akpor as a whole, whether you are a politician, whether you are a traditional ruler, whether you are a pastor, or whether you are a native doctor, I need everybody now,” he declared.

Wike said further; “Because all of them will vote. For the purpose of voting and elections, we must bring everyone together. ”

​Drawing from his political history as the first elected chairman in the history of Obio-Akpor Local Government to win a second term following its creation in 1989, Wike reminded incumbent council leaders that performance and human connection remain the ultimate yardsticks for re-election.

​He stated; “I was not elected two times because I was just Chairman.

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“I was elected because people felt the impact of governance and because I related with the people. Anywhere, whether for burial or thanksgiving, I was always identifying with them”.

Outlining the electoral roadmap, the FCT Minister highlighted Wards 15, 16, and 17 in Obio-Akpor Local Government as strategic strongholds capable of deciding electoral outcomes across the local council.

​”We have over 200 units across three very important wards Ward 15, Ward 16, and Ward 17. These three wards can defeat ten wards in Obio-Akpor. They are three wards with a difference, and you must utilize them to make that difference,” he instructed.

​Wike directed local leaders to immediately deploy unit coordinators and door-to-door canvassers across all polling units, urging them to mobilize their immediate families, in-laws, and neighbors to ensure a decisive victory.

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​Reiterating his loyalty to his constituency, Wike affirmed that he would remain the state’s “Chief Critic” and guide to ensure elected council officers stay accountable to the electorate.

Wike was accompanied by the Rivers State APC governorship candidate, Kingsley Chinda and other political leaders.

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Echoes of Wike ‘na our own ‘ song takes over at ongoing Akpor town hall meeting in Obio/Akpor LGA today (Video)

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Echoes of Wike ‘na our own ‘song rent the air at ongoing Akpor town hall meeting at Obio/Akpor LGA in Rivers State today.

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Watch moment, traditional rulers present kola to FCT minister Wike at ongoing town hall meeting in Akpor kingdom, Obio/Akpor LGA

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A video clip showing traditional rulers presenting kola to FCT minister Nyesom Wike at Akpor in Obio/Akpor LGA in Rivers State has emerged.

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