Executive order 10: you can’t seize state funds, Ekweremadu tells FG.

– Steve Ovirih.

A new twist has been introduced to the newly signed Executive order 10 which empowers the government at the central to withhold the fund of any of the 36 states of the federation that fails to comply with the execution of financial autonomy for the judiciary and the legislature.

Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has in a chat with the press countered the steps set to be taken both by the Attorney general and Minister of Justice and the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF on the seizure of the portion of the Federal allocation to any erring state.

Ekweremadu said it was settled at the Supreme Court long time ago that the Federal Government doesn’t reserve the right to withhold the acruable funds to the component states under any guise, stressing that the attempt to whip the states into line on legislative and judicial autonomies is a behind the scene plan of the Federal Government to play the “senior prefect ” role with the states of the federation. Ekweremadu called the Federal Government to activate full fiscal federalism , stressing that it is high time states of the federation take charge of the utilisation of the gains coming from natural resources withing their spacial territory.