By Deji Abdulwahab
The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has lauded the Executive Order 10, signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying it would engender better governance and guarantee true independence for states judiciary and legislature.
BMO Chairman, Mr Niyi Akinsiju, in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, described the order as the long needed game-changer that would bring to effect, the desire for truly independent and accountable judiciary and legislature at the state levels.
“The Executive Order 10 signed by Buhari is a masterstroke that will engender better governance, especially at the state levels, guaranteeing true independence of state judiciary and legislature.
“With this order, Nigerians will see a renewed improvement in the delivery of good governance at the state level,” the BMO chairman said.
He said that the states play a critical role in the delivery of governance to the Nigerian people.
“They are closer to the people and expectedly should have a better understanding of their problems and needs.
“This is why it is critical that the institutions closest to the people receive the best support for them to carry out their duties and independence to ensure that the delivery of their duties is not tainted by selfish interests.
“Through the Implementation of Financial Autonomy of State Legislature and Judiciary Order 2020, Buhari has put in place, the legal instrument to enforce that funds belonging to state legislatures and judiciaries get to them.
“We can now be assured that state judiciary will not be afraid of any threats to its fundings by state executive who may want them to pander to its biddings,” Akinsiju said.
According to him, this applies as well to the state legislature.
“The outcome we can expect from this is strong institutions delivering good governance and justice at the middle tier of government without fear or favour.
“The order will ensure that the needed funds for these institutions will be available and accessible for their democratic business and not end up being treated as personal monies of state executives or as second-line items.
“It ensures that the payment of monies due to state legislature and judiciary are matters of priority, they are first-line items and must be immediately paid to the legislature and judiciary,” he said.
He added that the institutions would be the first choice for payments.
“A state that fails to release these funds will have the funds deducted from source by Federal Accounts Allocations Committee, from the money to be allocated to the state.
“The executive order also ensures that there is targeted and strategic budgeting for state judiciary and state legislature.
“A significant item in the Executive Order is the Special Extraordinary Capital Allocations for the judiciary which is an allocation dedicated to the undertaking of capital development projects by the stare judiciary.
“With this fund, more complexes for state judiciary will be built and those that are dilapidated will be renovated.
“Nigeria’s judiciary has for many years suffered an infrastructure problem, especially at the state level – that is about to become history, thanks to Executive Order 10 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said. (NAN)
