Executive Order: We Are Not Opposed To Autonomy For State Judiciaries, Legislatures— Governors

The 36 state governors have dismissed claims that they are against President Muhammadu Buhari’s Executive Order 10 of 2020, which compels state governors to ensure financial autonomy for state legislatures and judiciaries, Premium Times reports.

President Buhari, in May, signed into law an Executive Order, granting financial autonomy to the legislative and the judicial arms across the 36 states of the country.

The order also mandated the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct from source, amount due to state legislatures and judiciaries from the monthly allocation to each state for states that refuse to grant such autonomy.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, including other Right groups have said the Executive Order No. 10 of 2020, aims to bring stability and accountability in the system whereby allocations in the state budget shall be a charge on the Consolidated Revenue Funds of the state, which shall be a first line charge.

But the governors, in a communiqué issued under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), said state governors are not opposed to the autonomy of the judiciary and the legislature.

In its communiqué signed by the NGF Chairman Governor, Kayode Fayemi, on Thursday, the governors said they were still in talks with the federal government to “resolve some contentious issues on the implementation of Executive Order 10.

“There were ongoing consultative meetings with the federal government to resolve the contentious provisions of the Executive Order 10. State governments have expressed that they are integrally not opposed to the autonomy of the judiciary and the legislature.”

The governors also resolved that it would sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) based on the existing Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP).

The governor said the agreement is expected to take effect next week, July 28.

“The new partnership is in line with the Federal Government’s Economic Sustainability Plan and will leverage on ABP to expand economic opportunities for smallholder farmers across the country.

“This is by increasing smallholder farmers capacity to access land, low interest financing, extension services, good agricultural practices and guaranteed markets for their produce.

“It will cover all CBN-focused crops, including rice, maize, cotton, cassava, oil palm, fish, cowpea, poultry and livestock among others,” it said.