Reps, Speakers beg governors to grant financial autonomy to judiciary, legislature

The House of Representatives, yesterday, urged the 36 state governors to grant financial autonomy to their judicial arms in line with tenets of democracy.

The chamber, thorough its Onofiok Luke-led Committee on Judiciary, maintained that the move would result in good working environment and welfare for judicial officers and workers nationwide.

Luke, who spoke after his panel met with members of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) at the National Assembly complex, pointed out that it behoved the governors to accede to demands of the workers in compliance with constitutional provisions.

“Without any fear or favour, we are in solidarity with you to that extent,” the Akwa Ibom-born lawmaker, who is a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), assured the aggrieved employees.

He continued: “The committee shares in your believe that the rule of law forms the basis of democratic governance. If the National Assembly, in its wisdom, passed into law financial autonomy to the judicial arm, I appeal to the governors to obey the law.”

Luke, who reiterated the resolve of the Ninth Assembly to empower the judicial arm to live up to its duties, urged the agitators to reach out to serving senators.

ALSO, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has pleaded with the Northern Governors’ Forum to facilitate action on financial independence for legislature and judiciary in the states.

Pledging to equally collaborate more with the state chief executives for good governance during a visit to the forum’s chair, Simon Lalong in Jos, the conference’s helmsman and Bauchi State House of Assembly Speaker, Abubakar Suleiman, in a statement by his spokesman, Abdul Burra, called on relevant authorities to tinker with the nation’s security architecture for community policing with a view to checking the worsening insecurity in the land.

Responding, Lalong told the delegation that his colleagues were not averse to the financial independence of the legislature and judiciary, but the Presidential Order 10.

He said the concept should not be misunderstood for enrichment of individuals, but rather the strengthening of institutions, adding that it also meant training of lawmakers and staff to promote good governance.