By Christiana Ekpa
Over 400 members of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) from various states across the country staged peaceful protest at the National Assembly demanding for full implementation of financial autonomy to State Houses of Assembly in line with the law signed by Presidnt Muhammadu Buhari.
The protesters led by PASAN President, Comrade Mohammed Usman and Deputy National President, Ikechukwu Alaribe accused the State Governors of arm-twisting the Legislature into total submission and negating the principle of separation of powers.
The 2-page petition titled: ‘Demand for full implementation of financial autonomy for State Houses of Assembly as provided for in Constitution Section 121(3) and Presidential Order 10 2020’, was addressed separately to the Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
It reads: “Recall that His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari assented to the Constitution Fourth Alteration Bill in June 2018 which among other things granted financial autonomy to all State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria and subsequent issued Executive Order 10 to ensure implementation.
“The Union considers these actions as great strides toward embedding democratic principle of separation of powers which in turn guarantees positive progressive, effective and efficient checks and balances especially at the state level where Executives have continually arm-twisted the Legislature into total submission thereby negating the essence of separation of powers in a democracy.
“It is therefore needful to see that for there to be a robust legislature at the state level, the implementation of the legislative financial autonomy is pertinent. It is in consideration of the foregoing that PASAN wishes to express her unreserved disgust and dismayed with the actions of some Nigerians and institutions particularly the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) for aiming to not only discredit but to exterminate this democratic prerequisite through frustrating its implementation.
The Union has been magnanimous with the virtue of patience by allowing for ample time so that the Federal Government through His Excellency’s implementation committee on financial autonomy for state judiciary and legislature would ensure the implementation of the letters of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for over two years now.
“Our members have ran out of patience and have resolved to forthwith put an end to condoning further delays to the implementation of the financial autonomy for States Houses of Assembly which in itself is a glaring breach of the Nigerian Constitution.
“As the Union’s motto reads, ‘Service for Democracy’, the union shall remain committed to serving the nation’s democracy but the continuous non implementation of Financial Autonomy at the state level is a huge obstacle before the wheel of democracy and the principle of separation of powers which in turn frustrates our devoted service. Consequent upon the foregoing, the union hereby demand for full implementation of the letters of our constitution as provided in section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
