JUSUN Strike: ‘We insist on financial autonomy for Judiciary – Niger Chairman

The ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the the Judiciary staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), against the 36 States governors and their respective Attorneys-General and Commissioner for Justice is to enable them to comply with the Federal High court judgement obtained against the accused.

The Niger State Chairman of JUSUN, Barrister Mahmud Ameen Muye told Journalists in an interview in Minna that the Union was only demanding the financial autonomy for the Judiciary as enshrined in section 121 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

He explained that the demand was a constitutional provision which the Executive was deliberately refusing to adhere, stating that the judiciary as a third arm of goverment deserves to operate independently without any interference from the the Executive arm.

According to JUSUN Chairman, the Judiciary has been going cap in hands begging the executive for funds to carry out its statutory responsibilities which ordinarily shouldn’t be, stressing that it was in the interest of law that the governors should comply with the court the judgement.

He pointed out that the Union was not in anyway fighting the governors because they want to fight or create untold hardship for litigants and the inmates. All we are requesting from them is just a constitutional.

“The Judiciary as an arm of government should be allowed to independently get access to it directly from the federation account.”

He wondered why the executive is taking the Judiciary for a ride, noting that whenever the executive and the legislature are at loggerhead, both seeks redress at the judiciary.

Speaking further, the Chairman observed with concern the manner at which the plaintiffs have in past seven years deliberately refused to comply with the federal High court judgement describing the trend as inimical to the rule of law.

He opined that the industrial action would have been avoided if the governors have complied with the judgement, since all these while, insisting that the Union leadership would not relent in demands for the financial autonomy of the Judiciary as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended

He appealed to the litigants, inmates, and legal practitioners as well as all critical stakeholders in the administration of justice to see reasons and bear with the Union noting that the industrial action was not aimed at subjecting any body to hardship but to right a certain wrong done to the rule of law by the executive.