By Kasim Omomia
There were Clerks and there have been Clerks, and there will be Clerks and there are Clerks. The Clerk in Parliament is the Bureaucratic Head of that House or Chamber in a Congress. In the case of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy that runs a bicameral legislature, the Congress or National Assembly is the Senate and House of Representatives, a twin, bicameral Legislature.
Each House has a Clerk, in the rank of a Permanent Secretary as it is in the civil service structure. He is the administrative head of the Directorate as well as the head of the chamber in charge of all legislative activities.
The Clerk midwife’s legislative proceedings guide the presiding and principal officers in matters about the overall administration of the House: management of the chambers concerning legislative works, Bills, Motions, and House resolutions, and in the real sense of fiscal administration should be the accounting officer.
However, finding such an immense character capable of a credible Clerk in the House of Representatives for instance requires a man of intelligence, impeccable character, experience and competence as it is found imbued in Dr Yahaya DanZaria, PhD.
Dr DanZaria is the current Clerk House of Representatives, CHR, having passed through the mill rigorously to attain the position. He was Acting Clerk under Patrick Giwa and immediately took over shortly after Giwa’s retirement to close the 9th session of the House of Representatives under the leadership of the Speaker then, Rt. Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila.
One outstanding, sterling attribute of the DanZaria leadership of the administrative side and not the political divide usually headed by the Speaker and the bench of principal officers, is accountability.
His reign has been devoid of any scandal, which is why he stirred the ship of state of the House conclusively to the end of the 9th legislative session with numerous bills which were passed into law by the Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as well as House resolutions from a great number of motions which provided executive emergency interventions in critical areas and spheres of the nation.
As the current Clerk, a humble bureaucrat heading the green chamber, it can’t be doubted that the House of Representatives will continually surpass its Senate counterpart in legislative works and with high scorecards, and be adjudged as the most visible, pragmatic and-People-focused, People-friendly House with the disposition and candour of an Open-parliament.
These accomplishments of the House of Representatives under Danzaria stem from the number of bills, people- motions, resulting in resolutions that gave succour to Nigerians and still giving so far since the inception of the 10th legislative session of the House.
Danzaria is the unassuming man behind the wheels in the House. Sitting on the Dias, with a long knotted tie trotting his gullet, and simple long-sleeved shirts adorned under those suits likened to those of the late legal luminary, Timi, Rotimi- the law, Chief FR Williams, and repeatedly sitting and standing on his toes, attending to the Chair or Speaker in session.
Yahaya Danzaria cuts the mien of the Silent-Significant in the House of Representatives who has made and still making our constitutional democracy work using the House as the vehicle.
Like Barrister Salisu, Clerk Committee on Rules and Business, Florence Akerele, Charity Udenyi, Pastor Elija, the chambers staff, including officers of the sergeant-at-arms who are regularly in chambers during plenary session, and the entire staff of the rules and business committee, these democracy –heroes and champions, led by their boss, Yahaya Danzaria are the men and women behind the scene, working tirelessly for Nigerians and our growing democracy.
Expectedly in most plenary sessions, it is a regular sight to behold the light-complexioned Clerk standing for upward of thirty minutes or more reading a long list and titles of new bills which are being introduced.
This is unprecedented as the new bills at times are over 30, unlike in past houses where about 10 or fewer are read for the first time. After that symbolic and herculean standing exercise, Dan Zaria guides every plenary session with details, and advice to the presiding officers when and where necessary about plenary, House proceedings, House Rules, and constitutional provisions, so that the people do not only get quality laws but that the laid down procedures for making laws in parliament are followed to the latter.
That is Danzaria, a workaholic who works round the clock to the effect that besides plenary sessions with the midwives, he ensures works at the committees, especially referrals are expressly dealt with.
As the engine room of parliament, the committees are roundly supervised by him, by first ensuring that round- pegs -in round- holes are appointed as committee clerks, with hardworking and competent subordinating staff.
Interestingly and very instructive too, if there is one man that has raised his head above board, it is Yahaya DanZaria. Since he joined the services of the national assembly, and in the various positions he has held till his present position, he is one man that is contended with a clean bill of health and without scandal.
Born on the Eight of February 1966, the Yelwa-Kauri, Kebbi, CHR, attended Wali primary School, Yelwa Kauri, Government Science School, Yelwa-Kauri; for tertiary education, he attended, Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, Nigerian Law School, Lagos and the University of Abuja
As one committed to the people’s wishes and aspirations through the supervision of the processes, and procedures of laws made by the People’s representatives in the Peoples House, Yahaya Danzaria is a detribalized Nigerian next to the heart of the People. He speaks Yoruba fluently, and mixes with everyone, no matter where you come from, whether East, West, North or South. To Dr Yahaya Danzaria, PhD, please keep the momentum high