Tambuwal: Governors in support of financial autonomy for state assemblies

Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, says state governors have given their support to financial autonomy for state assemblies and judiciary.

The development comes four days after the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) protested at the national assembly over the non-implementation of financial autonomy for state assemblies.

In May, President Muhammadu Buhari signed an executive order granting financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary across the 36 states of the country.

But the president suspended the gazetting of the order after meeting with governors in June, 2020.

Speaking after a meeting with Ibrahim Gambari, chief of staff to the president, some governors and a delegation of States Legislators Conference at Aso Rock, Tambuwal said the relevant stakeholders will meet next week to finalise the framework for the implementation of the financial autonomy.

According to him, the meeting was called at the instance of the president.

“We are here to meet the chief of staff on the instruction of Mr President and you can see that the leadership of the Speakers’ Conference of the States of the Federation is here ably led by the Chairman. It is all about [Executive] Order 10, which has to do with the independence, financial autonomy of the legislature and the judiciary at the state level,” a statement quoted him as saying.

“So, it is a continuous meeting and we are going to meet next week Thursday when we hope to finalise on the framework and modalities of implementing the autonomy of the state legislature and the judiciary.

“By next week Thursday we will be meeting to finalise the framework. We are all in support of it by the grace of God.”