Governors’ Forum, Conference of Speakers of State Legislature, and other stakeholders on Monday reached an agreement to implement the financial autonomy for state legislature and judiciary.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi, revealed this to State House journalists at the end of a meeting in Abuja.

The meeting was presided over by the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari.

According to Mr Fayemi, the agreement will be “fine-tuned”, and its implementation will begin in May.

“We are here for legislative and judicial autonomy, and governors, speakers of state assemblies, and the judges of the states are on the same page as far as this issue is concerned.

“We just emerged from a meeting with the Solicitor General of the Federation, the representatives of the judiciary, and those of the Conference of Speakers, and we are all in force; an agreement has been reached,” said Mr Fayemi.

Speaking further, he revealed, “The issue is about implementation: there has been no objection from governors on judicial and legislative autonomy.

“As a matter of fact, it would not have passed if governors were not in support in the first instance. So, that issue has been fully and holistically addressed.” 

Mr Fayemi maintained that the implementation of the agreement would begin in May.

“We don’t just want to agree to something on paper without working out the modalities for implementation. As soon as the final document that is being cleaned up emerges, it will be implemented as soon as possible, and that will be definitely not later than the end of May,” he stressed.

He, therefore, called on judiciary workers to call off their strike.

“In the interest of the nation, we believe that the striking workers should return to their offices because as far as this has gone, we have met with all the parties concerned.

“No later than May, you will start seeing the implementation of the agreement that we have reached,” Mr Fayemi promised.

In attendance were Governors Bagudu Atiku, Aminu Tambuwal, and Simon Lalong. Others were the Solicitor General of the Federation, Dayo Akpata, the leadership of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislature and State Judiciary. 

(NAN)