The Nigerian Governors’ Forum has said it will ensure the implementation of financial autonomy for state legislatures and the judiciary by May 2021.
The Chairman of the NGF and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, gave the assurance on Monday after a meeting of stakeholders with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, at the State House, Abuja.
Fayemi, who was accompanied to the meeting by Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Simon Lalong of Plateau State and Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, told State House Correspondents after the meeting: “For us, we’re here for legislative and judicial autonomy and the governors, the speakers and the judges are on the same page as far as this issue is concerned.
“We just emerged from a meeting with the Solicitor-General of the Federation, representatives of the judiciary, representatives of the Conference of Speakers and House of Representatives and we are on all fours.
“An agreement has been reached.
“First, the issue is about implementation.
“There has been no objection from governors on judicial and legislative autonomies.
“As a matter of fact, it would not have passed if governors were not in support in the first instance, in the state assemblies.
“So, that issue has been fully and holistically addressed, but we don’t just want to agree to something on paper without working out the modalities for implementation.
“Thankfully, the meeting we have just emerged from, with the Chief of Staff to the President, has worked out the modalities to the satisfaction of all parties.”
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria and Conference of State Assembly Speakers.
Members of JUSUN had on Monday commenced a nationwide protest over the refusal of the governors to implement financial autonomy for the judiciary.