The Nigeria Governors Forum has organized a meeting with the Attorney Generals of the 36 states to promote effective administration of justice in the country.

At the event in Abuja, the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Governor of Ekiti State Dr Kayode Fayemi said the meeting was to seek inputs of state Attorney-Generals on the controversies surrounding the autonomy of the Judiciary and revenues from Value Added Tax.

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors forum, Represented by the Governor of Plateau State Simon Lalong said the gathering would review some pertinent legal issues including the Administration of Criminal Justice System in the country.

On the controversy surrounding local government autonomy, Governor Simon Lalong explained that the Governors were not the against the financial autonomy of local Government said, the system must be ready to bear the consequences.

” I have given financial autonomy to local Government in my state since last year, after five months, they run back again. So its not that the Governors are not willing to give the Autonomy because of the reparcurtion”. Governor Lalong explained.

In a presentation on insecurity at the sub-national level, the role of Attorney-General, the former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Kanu Agabi charged the participants to always uphold the rule of law and be champion of liberty in their States.

The Head of Legal department, Nigeria Governors Forum, Mr. Chijioke Chukwu explained the monthly meeting of the forum was always brainstorming on national legal issues that required the input of state attorney generals.

The issues of the autonomy of the judiciary and the collection of value added tax has been generating a legal tussle between the Federal Government and the State Government, a development that necessitated the two day meeting with Commissioners of Justice from the 36 legal to brainstorm on ways to address the challenges.

The meeting also discussed others issues including the implementation of autonomy for judiciary and legislature by States.