JUSUN: Niger lawmaker flays State governors for disregarding financial autonomy judgement

The action of the executive against the legislature and the Judiciary for denying them their autonomy as enshrined in the Constitution was an anti democracy and is condemnable, the chairman House Committee on Labour matters in Niger State House of assembly Hon. Malik Madaki Bosso has observed.

He stated that the Executive arm has been insensitive in adhering to the Constitution and the rule of law describing their actions as anarchy, “if not checked, will create unhealthy development to democracy in the country”.

Hon. Malik Madaki who was speaking in a telephone interview with CAPITAL POST in Minna expressed disappointment with the Executive for its insensitivity on the rule of law as enshrined in the Constitution.

According to the lawmaker, for the executive to continue to hold the entire citizens of the country hostage for their deliberate action against the other tiers of goverment was undemocratic, calling on all well meaning Nigerians to throw their weight behind the legislature and the Judiciary to rescue our democracy from collapse with the action of the executive.

Hon. Malik stated that the President has signed executive order 10, directing the governors to simply comply with the court judgement and they have taken up the President that he did not involve them before signing the executive order, saying certain decision were taken without their own input describing the attitude of the governors as a big insurbodination.

The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) and the Judiciary staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), were at daggers drawn with the executive governors of 36 States in the last four weeks to press home, the financial autonomy for the judiciary and the legislatures.

The industrial face-off embarked upon by the two union has crippled the activities of the two tiers of goverment as their workers have padlock the entrance to their offices.

As a result of the industrial face off of the two union, the activities of the two organizations remained crippled in the last four weeks as the union leaders told their workers to remain in their respective homes until their demands were met.

In apparent swift reaction to the insensitivity of the executive to see reasons to comply with the constitutional demands of the financial autonomy of the two tiers of goverment.

Hon. Malik Madaki Bosso noted with dismay the refusal of the executive to adhere and respect the constitutional demands of the unions to respect the rule of law.

“This is a pure constitutional issue that these two unions were asking the executive to respect.

“I don’t really understand the kind of democracy we are operating in this country.

“A situation where the executive will be taking the other two organs of government for a ride to me, we are heading towards arnachy. We are no longer practising democracy in this country.

Because the rule of law is no longer prevailing by the executive. Again, if the governors will say the president has to consult them before taken any decisions to me, we are no longer practising democracy in Nigeria.

“What I’m saying here, is that the President is no longer the Commander-in- Chief. This is exactly what the governors are saying to Nigerians” he asserted.

Speaking further, Hon. Madaki described as unfortunate the deliberate act of the governors to continue to behave as being above the constitution of the land” forgetting that in their oath, they sworn to abide by the constitution and they are behaving otherwise.

“They should remember that they are sending a very wrong signal that would not augur well for our democracy.” he noted

He cautioned them to be seen as role model to their people by being a respecter of rule of law and abide by their oath of office administered on them when they became governor of their respective states, stressing that their actions are an indication of underestimating democracy that brought them to their offices.

He opined that the two unions were on the right path in their demands, adding that it was in the interest of the constitution that the governors should be a respecter of the law by allowing the financial autonomy for the two tiers of goverment.