Former speakers of Houses of Assembly across the country officially opened their conference in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, on Friday, taking credit for the legalised financial autonomy that state houses of assembly and the judiciary as a whole now have.
At a news briefing Friday evening, the immediate past governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, who was earlier a speaker of the Plateau House of Assembly, traced the journey of the autonomy to 1999.
Lalong, currently a senator, said at the news briefing: “Today, you see what you are seeing: autonomy of the legislature and the judiciary. It is to the credit of this forum (Forum of Former Speakers) because we started the fight for autonomy for the legislature and the judiciary in 1999.
“Many people suffered for it. Some speakers were removed because there was no proper understanding, but we kept on fighting until the last constitutional conference. We had myself there and some others.
“We worked, and we got, for the first time, financial autonomy for the legislature in every state. And also the financial autonomy for the judiciary.”
Speaking about the conference, whose main session is scheduled for Saturday, February 17, Lalong said the former speakers are all experienced people who have useful ideas to contribute to national development.
“As we meet in this conference, we will be harnessing what we know about the challenges of this country, which we may push for constitutional amendment where there may be a need,” he said.