Speakers of State Houses of Assembly have cried out over none compliance by respective State Governors to the constitutional provision of financial Autonomy for State Houses of Assembly .
Financial Autonomy was granted to the 36 States Houses of Assembly by the 8th Assembly via constitution amendment after a failed attempt by the 7th Assembly caused by refusal of many of the State Houses of Assembly then, to concur with the proposal.
But close to two years after the constitutional provision via amendment concurred to, by the State Houses of Assembly , Governors of the various states are alleged not to be complying with it .
Tabling the matter before the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, Friday, the spokesman of the Speakers, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori who is the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, lamented that none of the state executive governors 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 President Muhammadu Buhari for possible issuance of executive order.
However, the President of the Senate in his response to the request, assured them that he would approach the matter, on their behalf, through the Governors Forum and not for any executive order from the President .
“The question of executive order would not be necessary because it is a constitutional matter which should be complied with by the state authorities,” he said.
He also appealed to them to have cordial working relationship with their respective Executive Governors 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.
He added that his understanding of the relationship between the Executive and Legislature is that of mutual trust and interdependence
The the two arms of government according to him, need each other and neither of them can do without the other.
“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,”he stressed.
