The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami has justified the decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to issue the Executive Order 10.
Malami said the Executive Order, intended to give effect to constitutional provision of financial autonomy to states’ judiciaries and legislatures, was meant to deepen democracy at the grassroots.
Media aide to the AGF, Dr Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, in a statement, quoted Malami as adding that the Executive Order is “to ensure the effective implementation of the doctrine of separation of powers.
Gwandu also quoted Malami as hinting of an ongoing collaboration between the Federal Government and Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) “on modalities for effective implementation of the Executive Order 10.”
He said the AGF assured that the Executive Order Implementation Committee will incorporate valuable submissions from Governor’s Forum and other stakeholders with a view to seeing practicable implementation of the Executive Order.
Gwnadu added: “Malami said the re-enforcement of the constitutional provisions on the autonomy of the state legislature and judiciary as contained in Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria necessitated the Executive Order No 0010.
“Malami noted with appreciation that the Governors of the 36 States of the Federation have agreed to the constitutionality of the autonomy of the state legislature and judiciary maintaining that the essence of the Order was to see to the implementation of the autonomy.”
“While congratulating Nigerians on this landmark historic achievement geared toward engendering democratic principles at the grassroots, the Minister called on more inter-agency support for the Order which he said will accelerate the development Nigerian masses have been clamouring for.”