The Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, has described the call by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria to commence an indefinite strike across the country to press home their demand for financial autonomy for the legislature as a laudable course.
The Speaker spoke while addressing the state Assembly workers at the main entrance of the Parliament Building, Oyo State Secretariat, Ibadan.
The workers, who shut down the gates leading to House of Assembly complex, displayed placards with different inscriptions to express their displeasure over the failure to implement financial autonomy for the legislators.
Ogundoyin, noting that the strike would affect legislative businesses, however noted that the action was for the overall good of democracy.
He said, “No state will go about it in different way. Everything will done in a uniform manner. Let me also say that, the Speakers’ Forum will not relent until financial autonomy is achieved.”
Earlier, while presenting the Communique from its national body to the Speaker, the Chairman, Oyo PASAN, Yemi Alade, stated that the financial autonomy bill was passed into law in 2018 and assented to by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), noting, however, that its implementation had since been delayed.
He said true democracy would remain a mirage if the legislative arm of government is not independent, adding,
“Our appeal is to all the governors to commence the implementation of the financial autonomy.
“It is surprising that they are not following the Presidential Order. We will not return to work until our demands are met.”
