EXCLUSIVE: Confusion In NASS As Akpabio’s CoS, Clerk Clash Over Resumption Notice

There seems to be confusion in the National Assembly over whose duty it is to issue an official notice of a Lawmaker’s resumption of plenary on behalf of the National Assembly.

On Monday, Chinedu Akubueze, Chief of Staff to the Senate President, in a statement he signed, announced the postponement of plenary resumption from September 23 to October 7, 2025.

Mr Akubueze, a former Clerk of the Senate, had, according to established protocols, overreached his functions as the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and strayed into the jurisdiction of the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Kamoru Ogunlana.

Akubueze’s notice, which came in the early hours of the morning, stated “the resumption of plenary sitting of the Senate, earlier scheduled for Tuesday, 23rd September, 2025, has been shifted to Tuesday, 7th October, 2025.”

The two paragraph statement he signed regretted any inconvenience his notice, which he acknowledged came in a short time, may cause.

He called on the lawmakers to take note of the postponement and urged them to adjust their schedules accordingly.

However, minutes after Akubueze’s notice, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Ogunlana, issued a similar statement stating “I am directed by the presiding officers of both Chambers of National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to inform all members of the National Assembly and the general public that the Resumption date of the National Assembly earlier scheduled for Tuesday 23rd September 2025 is postponed to Tuesday 7th October 2025.

“However, committee activities continue. All Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members are requested to take note of the new date and adjust their schedules accordingly.

Any inconvenience caused by this rescheduling is deeply regretted.”

The development and a ‘lack of synergy’ between both offices may not be unconnected to the growing tension in the office of the Clerk over its alleged complicity in the resumption debacle of suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Recall, Senator Natasha, through her lawmakers, has threatened to drag the National Assembly Clerk to court for his alleged role in the matter.

But Mr Kamaru, in a response letter, maintained that he was not involved in moves to block her return from an already served six-month suspension.