The chairman of the Conference of Speakers, Mudashiru Obasa, said this in a statement released on Saturday,  adding that the body was excited over the action of the president.

Buhari had on Friday signed an executive order granting financial autonomy to state legislatures and judiciaries months after Speaker Obasa led a team of his colleagues on a visit to the president at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, where the request to that effect was made.

The Executive Order 10 signed by Buhari makes it compulsory for the 36 states to always include the allocations of the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets.

The order also makes it mandatory for the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct the amounts due to state legislature and judiciary from monthly allocations of states that refuse to implement the order.

“No doubt, this order will further make state legislatures independent of the executive arm of their various governments.

“It would also boost healthy competitions among state legislatures in pursuit of advancements and developments.

“This is the best gift the President, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, has given the legislative arm of state governments at this Sallah. And coming at the end of the Ramadan, it means God truly answered the prayers of the member state legislatures through the President,” Obasa, who is a member of the implementation committee on the financial autonomy set up by the president, said.

The committee had the mandate to ensure the implementation of the financial autonomy in line with section 121(3) of the country’s constitution as amended.

While commending the members of the implementation committee for putting in their best and meeting its mandate, Obasa urged the various state beneficiaries of the Executive Order by President Buhari to see it as a further push to unite the country and play roles for its growth, peace and progress.

The Speaker thanked the Nigerian Governors Forum for its support during the events and meetings leading to a final decision of the president.

Obasa also thanked the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, for his roles that eventually resulted in the signing of the order by President Buhari just as he commended his colleagues in the various Houses of Assembly for their steadfastness at all times.

The post Financial autonomy is the best Sallah gift Buhari has given us –Speakers appeared first on Frontpageng.

Lawan said the Assemblies at both state and national levels should continue to exchange ideas on how to support each other.

The Senate President made the call on Thursday while receiving in audience in his office Speakers of State Houses of Assembly who came on a courtesy visit.

“This kind of visit should be very often,” Lawan told his guests.

“We should have more and deeper frequent engagements between the National Assembly and the State Houses of Assembly.

“We need to be talking. We need to be engaging ourselves because there are certain things that we have to do together especially the constitutional amendment in which National Assembly takes the lead but the State Houses of Assembly will continue to have to play their roles as well.

“So we should not wait to be thirsty before we dig a well. We should always be proactive,” Lawan said.

Lawan said there are certain legislations that require some domestication or replication at the state level because “even if we implement them at this (national) level and the states have not bought into it, it is going to have very limited success.”

The Senate President also encouraged the Speakers at the State Houses of Assembly to establish a synergy with their respective Executive without necessarily compromising their independence.

“If we have to take the lead in nation building or in building our states, we have to also understand that we have to work together as cordially as possible.

“We should work on relationship that is based on mutual respect for the Executive and the Legislature whether at the national level or at the state level.

“We should have a relationship that is characterized by consultations and partnerships. Once we are able to establish that relationship either at the state or national level, we benefit immensely.

“It does not help anyone when the relationship is largely characterized by rancour, animosity, suspicion and unwarranted fight between the two arms of government,” Lawan said.

The Senate President said his understanding of the relationship between the Executive and Legislature is that of interdependence.

Lawan said the two arms of government needed each other and neither of them could do without the other, hence the need for synergy.

“So without allowing yourselves to be subjugated, you still must ensure that you work together with the Executive arm of government in your states to produce legislations that will change the lives of the people,” Lawan said.

Responding to a request for the Senate President’s intervention with regards to the financial autonomy of the state legislature, Lawan assured them that he would approach the matter, on their behalf, through the Governors Forum.

Spokesman for the delegation, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, who is the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly expressed concerns that the state Executive was yet to give effect to the issue of the financial autonomy of the state legislature.

Oborevwori urged the Senate President to help them take the issue up with the President for possible issuance of executive order.

The Senate President however said the question of executive order would not be necessary because it is a constitutional matter which should be complied with by the state authorities.

The post Why there should be synergy between state assemblies, NASS -Lawan appeared first on Frontpageng.