By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA — Members of the House of Representatives, yesterday, condemned the non release of N70 billion 2016 budgetary allocation to the judiciary, noting that it was a contravention of Section 81 (3) of the 1999 constitution.

The lawmakers during a plenary said the non release of funds to the judiciary constituted a threat to its proper functioning and to national peace and security.

The development has led to the non payment of salaries of judges and other judicial workers.

Mr Aminu Shagari (Sokoto, APC), at plenary, yesterday, said the National Judicial Council, NJC, which is responsible for the disbursement of funds approved for judiciary, had not received any allocation for November and December 2016.

“Contrary to the clear intendment of the drafters of our constitution, the executive picks and selects when to and how much to release to the National Judicial Council, “ he said.

Shagari, who is Chairman, House Committee on Federal Judiciary, added that the N70 billion allocation was charged on the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federation and should be given priority, over and above any public expenditure.

“Judges by nature of their job cannot speak for themselves, so we have to speak for them,” he said.

Following a voice vote presided over by Deputy Speaker,  Yussuff Lasun, the House urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the relevant government agencies to release all outstanding funds approved for the judiciary in the 2016 Appropriation Act.