Speakers Urge Governors to Ensure Financial Autonomy for State Legislatures

The Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly has urged state governors to follow the Constitution and directly provide funds to state legislatures.

According to the Speakers, without financial independence, governance might suffer, adding that legislative independence is key to good governance.

This was made known in a recent communique issued by the speakers, emphasizing that state governors must follow Section 121(3) of the Constitution. This section requires that funds be directly allocated to the State Houses of Assembly.

The communiqué read in part, “We hereby call on all state governors to immediately and fully comply with the provisions of Section 121(3) of the Constitution by allowing for the direct disbursement of funds to the State Houses of Assembly.

“This compliance is not only a constitutional obligation but also a necessary step towards strengthening our democracy and promoting good governance.”

It further added, “The Conference of Speakers resolves to engage with relevant stakeholders, including the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the Federal Government, and civil society organisations, to ensure the full implementation of financial autonomy for state legislatures.”

The statement pointed out that it is not just a constitutional duty but also crucial for strengthening democracy and ensuring good governance.

According to PUNCH report, the Chairman of the Conference, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin said that speakers also plan to work with various groups, including the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the Federal Government, and civil society organizations, to make sure that state legislatures get their financial autonomy.

Ogundoyin said, “Our purview as the State Houses of Assembly is to work and deliberate on constitutional amendments, or as it may be a new constitution, but it has to come from the National Assembly.”

He added that their efforts to work with important stakeholders and push for legal reforms show a dedication to democracy and effective governance at the state level.