Former Rep. Mohammed Onawo has cautioned state governors on how they handle the strike by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) over financial autonomy.
He said shutting down of the 36 state Houses of Assembly, if not urgently addressed, would bring serious political problem and set back to the country.
Onawo, a two-term House of Representatives member for Awe/Doma/Keana federal constituency, gave the advice while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.
He said that the financial independence of the legislature would go a long way in promoting good governance and would ensure effective service delivery by the legislators and staff.
“The legislature should be financially independent as they don’t need to go to the executive to plead for money for its operations.
“There should be proper separation of powers. What the executive don’t like is oversight by the legislature. They don’t want checks, but for good governance, there should be proper separation of powers.
“Shuting down of the state Houses of Assembly is a call to anarchy and the best is for governors to succumb and embrace financial autonomy,” he said.
Onawo, a former Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, however, commended the members of the state legislature under the leadership of Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi.
He lauded the state lawmakers for promoting peace and development through their various resolutions and bills.
“Since Nasarawa state is at peace, it means they are doing well. You will find out that the members are not on loggerhead with their people and with the executive arm.
“I urge them to continue to do the right thing at all times so that posterity will judge them rightly,” he added. (NAN)
