The Edo State House of Assembly Service Commission has launched a formal investigation into allegations of age falsification against the Clerk of the House, Alhaji Yahya Audu Omogbai.
This development follows a petition submitted by concerned staff of the Assembly, accusing the senior official of tampering with his records in a bid to extend his tenure beyond the legal retirement age.
According to a letter signed by the Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Ezehi M.D. Igbas, a three-man ad hoc committee has been set up to probe the allegations. The clerk was invited to appear before the panel on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 2:00 pm for an interview session at the Commission’s office located at No. 20, Oghosa Crescent, off Ihama Road, GRA, Benin City.
The invitation letter, dated October 13, was a direct response to a petition dated October 10, in which staff alleged that Omogbai had already exceeded the mandatory retirement age of 60.
They further claimed that, based on his first appointment in 1993, the clerk had also surpassed the 30 years of maximum service allowed under public service rules.
In addition to the alleged age falsification, the petitioners also accused the clerk of attempting to obstruct the investigation by withholding official personnel records related to his service and retirement.
They called on the Commission to thoroughly investigate the claims and uphold the integrity of the Assembly by ensuring that only those who meet legal requirements remain in office.
In a related development, tensions rose among Edo State Assembly workers following the involvement of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a recent staff verification exercise.
A large group of staff members staged a protest, expressing concern that the EFCC’s presence was unusual and unnecessary. According to them, previous verifications were handled internally or by civil service bodies without external agencies.
However, other staff supported the EFCC’s role, alleging that the Assembly’s payroll is filled with ghost workers. They argued that the anti-graft agency’s involvement is a step in the right direction to sanitise the system.
“This place is full of names of people who do not show up to work. It’s about time something was done,” a senior staff member who chose to remain anonymous said.
The allegations against Clerk Omogbai come at a time when public institutions are under increased scrutiny for issues ranging from corruption and mismanagement to staff verification and record falsification.
The Edo State House of Assembly Service Commission has promised a transparent and professional handling of the case. It is expected that, depending on the outcome of the investigation, disciplinary action could follow, including retirement or prosecution, if wrongdoing is established.
As of press time, Omogbai had not made any public statement regarding the allegations.
