Sunday Ani
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria has described President Muhammad Buhari’s Executive Order 10 which gives financial autonomy its members as the best Sallah gift from the President.
In a statement on Saturday, the chairman of the Conference of Speakers, Mudashiru Obasa, commended the President, saying the body was excited over the new development.
Buhari had on Friday evening signed an executive order granting financial autonomy to state legislatures and judiciaries, coming a few months after Obasa led a team of his colleagues on a visit to the President in Aso Rock Villa where he made the demand.
The Executive Order 10 signed by President Buhari makes it compulsory for the 36 states to always include the allocations of the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets.
The order also makes it mandatory for the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct at source the amounts due to state legislature and judiciary from monthly allocations of states that refuse to implement the order.
‘No doubt, this order will further make state legislatures independent of the executive arm of government.
‘It would also boost healthy competitions among state legislatures in pursuit of advancements and developments.
‘This is the best gift His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, has given the legislative arms of state governments during this Sallah. And coming at the end of the Ramadan, it means God truly answered the prayers of the members of state legislatures through the President,’ Obasa stated.
Obasa, who is also a member of the implementation committee on the financial autonomy set up by the President, said the Committee was mandated to ensure that the financial autonomy as contained in section 121(3) of the country’s constitution as amended, is implemented.
While commending members of the implementation committee for putting in their best and meeting its mandate, Obasa urged the various state beneficiaries of the Order to see it as a further push to unite the country and play roles that would ensure growth, peace and progress.
The Speaker thanked the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) led by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State for its support during the events and meetings leading to Mr President’s final decision.
Obasa also thanked the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, for his role which eventually led to the signing of the order by the President, just as he commended his colleagues in the various Houses of Assembly for their steadfastness at all times.