Abia State chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, has said that the state government’s position that it has substantially complied with judicial financial autonomy in the state is “untenable.”
The union also maintained that its demand for financial autonomy is a constitutional matter that should not be trivialised.
JUSUN was reacting to a joint press conference by two officials of the Abia State Government, Onyebuchi Ememanka and Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, where they said that ongoing negotiations between the state and JUSUN had resulted in the resolution of most complaints of judiciary workers.
A statement signed by Chinedu Ezeh, the Chairman of Abia JUSUN, and Chibueze Nwachukwu, Secretary, said it was premature and misleading for the Abia State Government to say that issues that led to the strike have been substantially resolved when negotiations are still ongoing.
According to the two union leaders, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), particularly Sections 121(3) and 162(9), clearly provides for the direct funding of the judiciary from the Consolidated Revenue Fund as a first-line charge, as reinforced by subsisting court judgments, executive orders, and relevant executive instruments.
The statement read in part:
“The current practice, whereby funds are released to the judiciary at the discretion of the accountant-general, does not satisfy the requirements of the Constitution for financial autonomy.
“As at the time of this statement, the state government has failed to release funds for the salaries and overheads of the judiciary for the months of March and April 2026, which were appropriated for in the budget, including funds for official engagements such as seminars and training for judges, magistrates, and staff.
“This reality directly contradicts any claim of ‘substantial compliance,’” the Abia JUSUN executives said.
On verification and pension matters, Abia JUSUN maintained its position that the verification of judiciary staff falls strictly within the constitutional mandate of the Judicial Service Commission, JSC, and not any external consultants.
