National Assembly warns staff against planned protest as lawmakers resume Tuesday

The management of the National Assembly has warned parliamentary staff against carrying out their planned protest and picketing of the legislative complex as lawmakers resume plenary on Tuesday. The caution followed threats by members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) to embark on industrial action over alleged unresolved welfare and constitutional issues affecting workers.

In a circular issued by the Secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development, Essen Eyo Essien, on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, management warned that any attempt to disrupt legislative activities would attract severe disciplinary action. Essien said membership of PASAN or any union is voluntary and that any staff member dissatisfied with the conduct of union affairs may freely withdraw their membership in accordance with established rules.

He noted that within seven months of assuming office, the current management had embarked on several administrative reforms aimed at improving efficiency and boosting staff morale. “In light of recent developments, management hereby instructs all staff to ignore any calls for industrial action, including work-to-rule or unlawful picketing,” Essien stated. “Your safety and security within the National Assembly Complex are assured, and we urge you to proceed with your official duties without fear or intimidation.”

The circular further directed the self-styled “Concerned PASAN Members” to desist from their planned protest, warning that defiance would attract severe disciplinary measures. It added that management remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the overall well-being of staff.

The warning came in response to a petition dated October 3, 2025, addressed to the Clerk of the National Assembly by a group identifying themselves as Concerned PASAN Members. The petition, signed by M.C. Odo, Yusuf Mohammed Abiola, and Chinenye Peace Nda, accused management of harassing and intimidating union members demanding transparency and adherence to the PASAN Constitution (2015).

According to the petitioners, some staff had been queried and threatened with suspension for insisting on the presentation of audited accounts to the congress as required by the union’s constitution. They cited constitutional provisions mandating executives to prepare annual budgets, circulate audited accounts and balance sheets, and ensure compliance with statutory financial obligations, arguing that management’s interference undermines internal democracy and accountability.

The group also criticised management’s recognition of executive officers previously removed by Congress, describing it as a violation of due process and the union’s internal democracy. They further accused management of neglecting welfare concerns such as salary shortfalls, unremitted statutory deductions, and incomplete implementation of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS).

Other grievances include unpaid allowances for rent subsidy, leave, hazard, and medicals. The workers also demanded the implementation of the 40 per cent consolidated peculiar allowance approved in 2023 for federal workers, the provision of vehicles for directorate staff, buses for junior workers, and training programmes for capacity development.

They called for the implementation of the National Assembly Service Pension Board (Establishment) Act, 2023, and the immediate application of the new minimum wage with its consequential adjustments. The petitioners maintained that addressing these issues was key to restoring trust and improving staff welfare.

As tension mounts ahead of Tuesday’s plenary resumption, observers note that how management handles the workers’ grievances could determine whether legislative business proceeds smoothly or faces disruption at the heart of Nigeria’s lawmaking complex.