The management of the National Assembly has threatened to sanction workers and legislative aides found to make statements viewed as inimical and prejudicial to the interest of the establishment, especially in the social media.

The management warned its workers to stop making utterances on social media about developments in the National Assembly or risk sanctions.

It also warned the workers to abide by the oath of secrecy in their condition of service.

The National Assembly management issued the warnings in a circular dated January 5, 2022, and addressed to the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, Clerk to the Senate and House of Representatives, Deputy Clerk to the Senate and the House of Representatives, all directors, all workers and legislative aides.

The circular was signed by the Secretary to the Human Resources and Staff Development, Abiodun Suraju Oladoyin, on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly

The circular, titled, “Oath of Secrecy,” reads: “It has been observed with dismay that some workers of the National Assembly have been promoting and exaggerating some false and unsubstantiated lies against the interest of the National Assembly, particularly in the social media on the flimsy excuses of championing staff welfare.

“In view of the above, every worker is expected to follow the oath of secrecy in the Condition of Service Numbers 03102 and 03201 and guard against actions that could be termed as Misconduct and Conduct Prejudicial to the interest and the security of the National Assembly Service.

“Consequently, by this circular, all workers are expected to behave according to the rules and regulations of the service, and desist from making unguided statements, especially on social media. Please, bring the content of this circular to all workers under you.”

But Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) described the circular as undemocratic, saying it was aimed at intimidating and suppressing legislative workers/aides from articulating concerns over the dearth of welfare or advancing views on significant issues affecting governance in the country.

CISLAC Executive Director Auwal Musa Rafsanjani told The Nation that the National Assembly management was deliberately twisting the oath of office to put pressure on or subdue its workers/aides from exercising their fundamental human rights.

Responding to a question from our correspondent, Rafsanjani said: “Sections 34, 37 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution guarantee rights to dignity of human persons, private and family life, and freedom of expression and the press, respectively.

“We express worries for the nation’s democracy if such anarchical pronouncement is surreptitiously mainstreamed into legislative culture, practice and activities of the National Assembly, as a superior legislative arm.

“We find it disturbing that adequate welfare for the legislative workers/aides remains unattended to, despite huge budgetary allocation totalling N9.6 billion, N15.9 billion and N5.7 billion appropriated to the legislative aides, National Assembly Management and National Assembly Service Commission, respectively in 2021.

“This further renews the existing call by civil society groups for transparency and accountability of the management of overall budget appropriated to the National Assembly.”

“We reiterate our position that adequate welfare for the legislative workers/aides is paramount to the effective delivery of the core mandates of both Lower and Upper Chambers of the National Assembly.

“Just as workers/aides must not be bullied to silence or refrained from exercising their constitutionally-backed democratic rights in the guise of an oath of office or any selfish reason.

“We call on the management of the National Assembly to uphold the practice and teachings of democracy by respecting workers’/aides’ constitutional rights and desisting from such unlawful actions tantamount to violation of Constitutional provisions or major flaw of democratic core values.

“We call for full transparency and accountability of allocation and implementation of the budget as appropriated to the National Assembly, especially as it affects the general welfare of workers/aides and constituency projects.

“We also call on the Office of Auditor General of the Federation (OAGF) to carry out a thorough and targeted audit of the implementation of the total sum appropriated to legislative aides, National Assembly Management and National Assembly Service Commission, respectively, in 2021.

“We encourage legislative workers/aides to never be intimidated from leveraging various democratic platforms in galvanising their views on governance as such constitutes a right and not privilege under the 1999 Constitution and United Nations resolutions.”