The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has warned against subversion of the democratically elected government under whatever guise.
The AGF said the government would promote and uphold the fundamental rights of all citizens but insisted that any infraction or breach of the same rights by any person or organisation under any guise except as stipulated by the Constitution will be dealt with.
The AGF pointed out that the present administration has a clear mandate of the people and can only be changed at the end of its tenure as prescribed by the Constitution.
Fagbemi, at the valedictory court session in honour of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who retired on August 22, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 70 years, said any other mode or attempted to change a democratically elected government except as provided by the Constitution, is nothing but a clear case of treason and subversion of democratic governance.
The AGF said that the laws of the land have made copious provisions on dealing with treasonable acts, stressing that the full wrath of the law will catch up with such treasonable felonies.
He reassured that the FG is irrevocably committed to massively changing the course of narratives within the country’s justice sector.
The Justice Minister said that with the massive turnaround being put in place by the present administration, the justice sector will be given the place of pride it deserves.
Specifically, the AGF said the FG will eradicate all obstacles to modernising, improving, and maximising the justice sector’s effectiveness and efficiency.
He added that with the recent 300 per cent salary increase for judicial officers, the government efforts would enhance and promote the judiciary as the last hope of the common man.
Fagbemi thanked the Supreme Court for rescuing Local Governments in Nigeria from the claws of governors.
The AGF called on the Attorneys General of States in the country to advise their various governors to obey the Supreme Court’s judgment on the financial autonomy of Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
Justice Ariwoola also called for measures to reduce the Supreme Court’s backlog of cases at the event.
Ariwoola stated that too many cases before the apex court should have been terminated at the appellate court.
He said access to justice has mainly contributed to the delay in hearing cases, as litigants and lawyers are forced to wait several years for their cases to be decided.
Justice Ariwoola explained that the right to a fair hearing can only be guaranteed when lawyers and litigants are not forced to wait so long for their cases to be adjudicated.
He also stressed the need for the bench to have more judicial officers adjudicating all matters timeously.
