Speakers Demand Financial Autonomy for State Assemblies

The Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly has called on state governors to comply with the constitutional provisions for direct disbursement of funds to state legislatures.

In a communiqué, the Speakers warned that failure to ensure financial autonomy could lead to a breakdown of governance and emphasized the critical link between legislative independence and effective governance.

The communiqué stated:

“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.”

The Conference also resolved:

“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.

“We will also collaborate with these stakeholders to create awareness and build consensus on the importance of legislative independence.

“The conference will establish a monitoring and reporting mechanism to track the implementation of financial autonomy across the states.

“This mechanism will document instances of non-compliance and bring them to the attention of relevant authorities, including the judiciary for appropriate action.”

Additionally, the Conference noted:

“We recognize the need for further legal and institutional reforms to reinforce the autonomy of state legislatures.

“To this end, we will advocate for the amendment of relevant laws and the introduction of new legal frameworks that will strengthen the financial independence of the legislative arm at the state level.

“As Speakers of the State Houses of Assembly, we reaffirm our commitment to upholding the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We pledge to continue advocating for the full implementation of Section 121(3) and to defend the autonomy and independence of the legislative arm of government.”

Chairman Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin highlighted the critical role of State Houses of Assembly in ongoing constitutional amendments, emphasizing:

“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.”