Autonomy: Judicial workers lock out Edo Assembly workers

Edo judiciary workers under the auspices of Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, on Monday, locked out workers of the Edo State House of Assembly over plans to repeal financial autonomy for both the judiciary and legislature.

The judicial workers blocked the gate and carried placards with several inscriptions, while demanding a stop to the planned repeal of the financial autonomy law.

Last week, Majority Leader of the Edo Assembly, Sunday Ojezele, was said to have proposed two bills titled, “A bill to repeal the Edo State Judiciary Financial Autonomy Law, 2023 and a bill to repeal the Edo State House of Assembly Funds Management Law, 2023.”

But the Speaker, Idaiye Yekini, explained that the word ‘repeal’ was an error and that what they planned was to amend the laws.

He said the plan was to set up an agency to ensure accountability and proper execution of projects under the autonomy arrangement.

Chairman of Edo JUSUN, Orien Charles, said the protest was to ask the lawmakers to throw the proposed bill away.

Orien said any plan to repeal or amend the law was to stop autonomy for both institutions.

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He said they spent 10 years fighting for autonomy and would not allow it to be stopped.

“We are here because of our financial autonomy. The House of Assembly, last week, wanted to repeal the financial autonomy for the judiciary. After agitation. They said it was an error that they wanted to do an amendment. We find out that the amendment and the repeal are the same thing.

“They want to take away the autonomy. The amendment is the same thing as repealing. During the course of the amendment, they will take away the autonomy and bring in another law that will not suit the judiciary and the House of Assembly.

“We will not accept it because we suffered for it for 10 years before we got it. We will not agree.

“We are here to see the Speaker. What the Speaker says will determine our next line of action. We pray the Speaker listens to us. We want them to stop everything. We don’t need repeal; we don’t need an amendment.

“They are not sincere. We are here fighting for autonomy, but the Assembly workers are there looking at us,” he said.