By Merciful Omoba
The management of the National Assembly has cautioned parliamentary workers against their planned protest and picketing of the complex as lawmakers resume plenary on Tuesday.
The warning followed threats by some members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) to embark on industrial action over alleged unresolved welfare and constitutional issues affecting staff.
In a circular issued on Sunday by the Secretary of Human Resources and Staff Development, Essien Eyo Essien, on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, the management warned that any attempt to disrupt legislative activities would attract severe disciplinary measures.
Essien stated: “Membership of PASAN or any union is entirely voluntary. Any staff member, whether an executive or regular member, who is dissatisfied with the conduct of union affairs may freely withdraw their membership in accordance with established rules.”
He explained that within seven months of assuming office, the current management had initiated several administrative reforms aimed at improving efficiency and boosting staff morale.
“In light of recent developments,” the circular added, “Management hereby instructs all staff to ignore any calls for industrial action, including ‘work-to-rule’ or ‘unlawful picketing.’ 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.”
Essien directed the self-styled Concerned PASAN Members to suspend their planned protest, warning that any defiance would result in “severe disciplinary action.”
He reiterated that management remained committed to transparency, accountability, and the overall well-being of staff.
The warning followed a petition dated October 3, 2025, addressed to the Clerk of the National Assembly by a group identified as Concerned PASAN Members, who accused management of harassment and intimidation of union members demanding accountability and adherence to the PASAN Constitution (2015).
The petition, jointly signed by M.C. Odo, Yusuf Mohammed Abiola, and Chinenye Peace Nda, alleged that workers were being 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 provisions of the PASAN Constitution mandating executives to prepare annual budgets, circulate audited accounts, and ensure compliance with statutory financial obligations, alleging that management’s interference undermines internal democracy and transparency.
The group also faulted the recognition of executive officers previously removed by the Congress, describing it as “a violation of due process and the union’s internal democracy.”
Beyond the union crisis, the workers listed several welfare grievances, including correction of salary shortfalls, remittance of statutory deductions (tax, pension, and housing fund), implementation of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS), and payment of allowances covering rent subsidy, leave, hazard, and medicals.
They also demanded the implementation of the 40% consolidated peculiar allowance approved in 2023 for federal workers, provision of official vehicles for directorate staff, staff buses for junior workers, and the establishment of training templates for capacity building.
Other demands include the enforcement of the National Assembly Service Pension Board (Establishment) Act, 2023, and the immediate application of the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustments.
As tension mounts ahead of Tuesday’s plenary, observers note that how the management addresses these grievances will determine whether normal legislative business proceeds smoothly or faces disruption at the heart of Nigeria’s lawmaking institution.
