State Assembly Speakers: We’re Engaging NGF On Financial Autonomy Implementation

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

Speakers of the 36 State Houses of Assembly in the country have said they have started a meaningful engagement with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) with a view to implementing the financial autonomy across the state legislatures.

The Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin, stated this at a One-Day Reflection Session in Abuja yesterday.
The programme was put together by two nongovernmental organisations – Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL) and Engaged Citizens Pillar (ECP) – in partnership with the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria (CSSLN).

Former President Muhammadu Buhari on March 17, 2023, assented to 16 Constitution Alteration Bills including the Financial Autonomy for State Legislatures.
However, investigations by THISDAY reveal that some governors who are favourably disposed to implementing the financial autonomy for their legislative arm were being reprimanded by others who don’t want it implemented.

Speaking with journalists on the issue, Ogundoyin said that the state lawmakers were working on holistic arrangement with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to resolve the impasse.
Ogundoyin said: “In terms of the financial autonomy for State Houses of Assembly, it’s something that we are engaging the NGF and what we expect is a total, all-encompassing buy-in.

“We can resolve our issues individually, but that would not give the whole state the benefits of the financial autonomy.
“So, what we’re looking at is to see how we can get the 36 state governments and the 36 State Houses of Assembly to agree on the financial autonomy in order to strengthen the institution of the legislature.
“We’re taking it very seriously. We’ll always take it seriously because we’re not just fighting for ourselves, we’re fighting for the institution as a whole, which would deepen democracy in our day and age”
When asked to give the number of states that had fully implemented the financial autonomy, the Chairman of the Speakers Conference said it was difficult to determine.

He said: “Some states have partially implemented the financial autonomy; some states have no autonomy whatsoever.
“The number varies, but we cannot say for certain that one state or the other are operating on full financial autonomy at this point in time.”
He said the Conference of Speakers worked with development partners like PERL and ECP to actualize financial autonomy for state legislature and that they are still working together for its implementation.

The fight for financial autonomy is something that we’ve been focused on and PERL has been at the forefront.
 Asked whether the state legislators would welcome the call for a brandnew autochthonous constitution or embrace the ongoing constitution review being undertaking by the National Assembly, Ogundoyin said, his colleagues could only work on the amendment.
He nevertheless said the state parliaments would embrace the idea of a new autochthonous constitution if it would come from the National Assembly and not from a group of people.

He said: “In the State Houses of Assembly, our purview is to work on the amendment of a constitution, or as it may be, a whole new autochthonous one as furnished to the State Houses of Assembly from the National Assembly.
“In that regard, people might have their own personal idea, but our purview as the State Houses of Assembly is to work and deliberate on constitutional amendments, or as it may be, a new constitution.

“It has to come from top to bottom in terms of the National Assembly furnishing the State Houses of Assembly.”
Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of Oyo State, said the issue of the state police was paramount to his colleagues and pledged to support its realization in order to tackle insecurity in the state.

He said: “For us in our state, we are happy currently with the way things are, but what is more pertaining to us, even in this conference of speakers, is the issue of state policing.
“This is because, without adequate security, there will be a breakdown of governance.”
 He urged his colleagues to champion legislative reforms at the state level, stating: “Our work is far from over. As we move forward, we must continue to prioritize reforms that promote transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement.

“We must also address emerging challenges and opportunities, such as the impact of technology on the legislative process.”