• NBA faults plan
• We want to amend, not repeal, says Speaker

There was tension at the Edo State House of Assembly as workers and concerned staff members protested against a bill seeking to repeal the 2023 law granting financial autonomy to the legislature.

The protesters, who gathered at the Assembly complex, locked out lawmakers, saying the proposed repeal could have serious consequences for the welfare of lawmakers and workers, including possible salary reductions and job losses.

The bill was reportedly presented by the new Majority Leader of the House, Sunny Ojezele.

The proposed legislation seeks to repeal the 2023 law that granted financial autonomy to the Edo State House of Assembly, effectively restoring greater control of the legislature’s finances to the state executive.

The development has triggered opposition from Assembly workers, who argued that reversing the financial autonomy law would undermine the independence of the legislature and expose its workforce to greater financial uncertainty.

The protesters are demanding the immediate withdrawal of the bill. According to workers participating in the protest, the existing financial autonomy framework protects the Assembly from excessive executive control over its finances and provides a more stable structure for the payment of salaries and other entitlements.

They warned that repealing the law could result in reductions in their salaries and allowances and potentially lead to job losses. The protest has reportedly created tension within the Assembly premises, with workers and other concerned persons gathering to express their opposition to the proposed legislation.

However, the leadership of the Edo Assembly Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), led by Farouk Haruna, declined to comment on the issue.

When contacted for comments, Speaker of the Edo Assembly, Yekini Idaiye, said the lawmakers have been in an executive session. Idaiye said he was not aware of any protest or plan to repeal the bill granting autonomy to the Assembly.

The Speaker said they were about to go into the Chamber as at 2:15 p.m.

MEANWHILE, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Benin Branch, has joined members of the Edo State chapter PASAN to protest alleged plans by lawmakers to stop financial autonomy for both the legislature and the judiciary.

Chairman of the branch, Idemudia Osifo, described the plan as embarrassing. He said: “There is panic in the public. The NBA is interested in the outcome of this process that is about to be initiated by the House of Assembly, and we do not support the withdrawal of the autonomy enjoyed by these two institutions. Both the judiciary and the legislature have been enjoying it from the time of former Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“The implications are obvious. We are going back to the time of hardship, a time of mistrust. We are witnesses to the benefit the autonomy has afforded these two institutions, and we want to sustain it.

“We heard a new Speaker came into the office yesterday and the first thing he planned to do was to remove autonomy from these two institutions. It is embarrassing. We hoped they would withdraw the bill.”

Also speaking, former Chairman of NBA, Benin Branch, Ede Asenoguan, said the financial autonomy law was a constitutional matter.  Asenoguan said it was strange to see Edo lawmakers removing autonomy from themselves.

He said, “The law made provisions for each of them to have financial autonomy. Two years ago, the Assembly passed a law granting autonomy to the other arms of the government. The plan to remove autonomy is not in the interest of the state; it is not in the interest of development.”

Meanwhile, shortly before the lawmakers began plenary at about 4:30 p.m., the Speaker informed the agitated workers that the laws were to be amended and not to be repealed.