The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) has appealed to the
Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) to call off its nationwide strike which
has lasted 10 days.
President Muhammadu Buhari had, in May 2020, granted
financial autonomy to the legislature and judiciary across the 36 states of the
country.
JUSUN had embarked on the strike in protest of the
non-implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary.
There is also an ongoing strike by the Parliamentary Staff
Association of Nigeria (PASAN) seeking to get the federal government to
implement financial autonomy for state legislature.
Speaking to journalists after a conference involving the
governors and speakers of state assemblies on Thursday, Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto
state governor and deputy chairman of the NGF, said all issues will be
resolved.
While giving assurance that governors are committed to
ensuring financial autonomy for the legislature and judiciary, Tambuwal said
its implementation has to follow constitutional process.
“We’ve just finished talking to the speakers, and indeed the
state chief judges, and the judiciary, to continue to engage. The minister of
labour is also engaging with the striking bodies to appeal to them, to
appreciate the fact that we have made progress,” he said.
“We are appealing to
them in the interest of this country, they should call off the strike.
“We are here with the chairman and leadership of the
speakers’ conference, the solicitor-general of the federation, and SSA to Mr
President on Niger Delta, who has been a member of the technical committee on
the implementation of the autonomy of state legislatures and the judiciary.
“Together with the chief of staff to the president, we have
just finished a meeting on how to put finishing touches and dotting the i’s and
crossing the t’s, on the final implementation of the financial autonomy of the
state legislatures and the judiciary.
“We have made reasonable progress and we have agreed, after
receiving the final report of the technical committee, to meet on Monday,
because of the urgency of the matter and finally, resolve whatever issues are
there.
“We are doing whatever it takes to make sure that the issues
are resolved. As I told you before, some of the issues are constitutional and
when matters have to do with the constitution, you have to be sure of what
you’re doing that you’re actually following the Constitution.”
Tambuwal also noted that the process dates back to the
eighth assembly, insisting that the governors are in support of financial
autonomy.
“From the very beginning, during the eighth assembly, under
the leadership of Senate President Bukola Saraki and speaker Dogara, the NGF
under Abdulaziz Yari then, met with them and supported the financial autonomy
for the state legislatures and the judiciary,” he said.
“And that is why with that support, we were able to achieve
the passage of this amendment by the national assembly and the state
legislatures across the country.
“So, the governors
are unequivocally in support of the autonomy of these institutions.’’
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