(c) Ambassador, High Commissioner or other Principal Representative of Nigeria abroad;
(d) Permanent Secretary in any Ministry or Head of any Extra-Ministerial Department of the Government of the
Federation howsoever designated; and
(e) any office on the personal staff of the President.
(3) An appointment to the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation shall not be made except from
among Permanent Secretaries or equivalent rank in the civil service of the Federation or of a State.
(4) An appointment to the office of Ambassador, High Commissioner or other Principal Representative of
Nigeria abroad shall not have effect unless the appointment is confirmed by the Senate.
(5) In exercising his powers of appointment under this section, the President shall have regard to the federal
character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity.
(6) Any appointment made pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (e) of subsection (2) of this section shall be at the
pleasure of the President and shall cease when the President ceases to hold office;
Provided that where a person has been appointed from a public service of the Federation or a State, he shall be
entitled to return to the public service of the Federation or of the State when the President ceases to hold office.
172. A person in the public service of the Federation shall observe and conform to the Code of Conduct.
173. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the right of a person in the public service of the Federation
to receive pension or gratuity shall be regulated by law.
(2) Any benefit to which a person is entitled in accordance with or under such law as is referred to in subsection
(1) of this section shall not be withheld or altered to his disadvantage except to such extent as is permissible
under any law, including the Code of Conduct.
(3) Pensions shall be reviewed every five years or together with any Federal civil service salary reviews,
whichever is earlier.
(4) Pensions in respect of service in the public service of the Federation shall not be taxed.
174. (1) The Attorney-General of the Federation shall have power (a) to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person before any court of law in Nigeria, other
than a court-martial, in respect of any offence created by or under any Act of the National Assembly;
(b) to take over and continue any such criminal proceedings that may have been instituted by any other authority
or person; and
(c) to discontinue at any stage before judgement is delivered any such criminal proceedings instituted or
undertaken by him or any other authority or person.
(2) The powers conferred upon the Attorney-General of the Federation under subsection (1) of this section may
be exercised by him in person or through officers of his department.
(3) In exercising his powers under this section, the Attorney-General of the Federation shall have regard to the
public interest, the interest of justice and the need to prevent abuse of legal process.
175. (1) The President may (a) grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offence created by an Act of the National Assembly a
pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions;
(b) grant to any person a respite, either for an indefinite or for a specified period, of the execution of any
punishment imposed on that person for such an offence;
(c) substitute a less severe form of punishment for any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence;
or
(d) remit the whole or any part of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence or of any penalty
or forfeiture otherwise due to the State on account of such an offence.