Buhari constitute committee on states legislature and Judiciary autonomy

In a bid to actualize the recently passed autonomy of states legislature and Judiciary, President Muhammadu Buhari has constituted a Presidential Implementation Committee on Autonomy of State Legislature and State Judiciary in accordance with the 4th Alteration to the 1999 Constitution.

The purpose of the committee, according to a statement by Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina, is to drive the actualization of the autonomy granted to the legislature ther and judiciary at the State level.

The committee has Abubakar Malami, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, as Chairman; while Ita Enang, Presidential Liaison (NASS), will serve as Secretary.

Other members of the committee include representatives of State Judiciary, including N. Ajanah, Chief Judge of Kogi State, K. Abiri, Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Abdullahi Maikano Usman, Grand Khadi, Gombe State Sharia Court of Appeal; and Abbazih Musa Abubakar Sadeeq, Ag. President of the FCT Customary Court of Appeal.

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The statement said State legislatures are to be represented by, Mudashiru Obasa, Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria and Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, as well as Abel Peter Riah, Speaker, Taraba State House of Assem

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria is to be represented by Marwan Mustapha Adamu, Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, Bala Hadi;
Body of Chairmen of Houses of Assembly Service Commissions, Musa Mustapha Agwai and Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, David Umaru
Others are House of Representatives Committee on Federal Judiciary, Aminu Shagari and the Accountant General of the Federation, and the Secretary of the National Judicial Council.

Others are: DG of the Nigerian Governors Forum or such other representative as the Forum may wish to nominate; Chairman of the Forum of Finance Commissioners in Nigeria; President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Paul Usoro, SAN; and Chike Adibuah Esq, representing Civil Society Organizations.

Terms of reference of the committee include, among others; to assess and review the level of compliance by all the 36 States of the Federation with Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended); to monitor, ensure and cause the implementation of Financial Autonomy across the Judiciary and Legislature of the 36 States; to consult and relate with the appropriate Federal and State MDAs;

They are also to ensure and where necessary enforce the implementation of constitutional provision; and to come up with appropriate modality or model to be adopted by all the States of the Federation for implementation and/ or compliance with Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The statement noted that the formal inauguration of the committee by Mr President will be done in due course.