Financial Autonomy For States’ Judiciary, Legislature, SERAP Hails Buhari

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has applauded president Muhammadu Buhari for signing Executive Order 10 granting financial autonomy to states’ judiciary and legislature.

Buhari had on Friday signed Executive Order Number 10 of 2020 for the implementation of Financial Autonomy of State Legislature and State Judiciary.

In a statement issued by Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Dr. Umar Gwandu, the president signed the executive order based on the powers vested in him as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). This extends to the execution and maintenance of laws made by the National Assembly (including but not limited to Section 121(3) of the constitution), which guarantee financial autonomy of the state legislature and state judiciary.

According to Gwandu, a Presidential Implementation Committee was constituted to fashion out strategies and modalities for the implementation of financial autonomy for state legislature and state judiciary in compliance with section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.

SERAP noted via its Twitter handle on Monday that the president’s decision would reduce grand corruption by state governors; impunity; executive rascality; and the ‘use’ of state lawmakers to collect life pensions.

“It would contribute to promoting transparency and accountability and access to justice at the state level,” the advocacy group said.

“President Buhari should ask the Accountant General to immediately implement the order, and reject any attempt by governors to block or derail executive order 10.”

Earlier, SERAP called on President Buhari to immediately instruct Department of Security Services, DSS to release one Gabriel Emperor Ogbonna, a lawyer, who it said had been detained despite being granted a bail.

It claimed Ogbonna’s crime was because he allegedly called for the probe of Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.

“President Buhari should demonstrate his commitment to the rule of law by stopping criminalisation of peaceful expression in Nigeria and ensuring the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals detained or imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of expression,” the rights group further demanded.