The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN), stated on Thursday the Federal Government was unwilling to tolerate any subversive activities under whatever guise, capable of undermining the nation’s democratically elected government.
Fagbemi noted that although the Federal Government was committed to promoting and upholding the fundamental rights of all citizens, it will not tolerate any infraction or breach of same rights by any person or organization under any guise, except as allowed by the Constitution.
The AGF spoke in Abuja at the valedictory court session in honour of the retiring Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who retired on August 22 on the attainment the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.
Fagbemi said the present administration at the federal level has a clear mandate of the people, and can only be changed at the end its tenure as provided I the Constitution.
He added that any other mode or attempt 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 how to deal with treasonable acts, stressing that the full wrath of the law will catch up with such treasonable felony.
Fagbemi said: “The government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu shall at all times protects and promotes the rights of all Nigerians and shall not tolerate any infraction and or breach of same by any person(s) and agencies under any guise whatsoever except as provided by the country’s Constitution.
“It is also pertinent to state that constitutional democracy and Governance has laid out its peculiar features and attributes.
“I must restate that elective and legitimate governments entrusted with the mandates of the people can only be changed constitutionally and legally by the electorate at the end of its term of office as prescribed by our laws and the Constitution of the country which is the ground norm.
“Any other mode or means of attempting to change a democratically elected government except as provided by our laws and the Constitution is nothing but a clear case of treason and subversion of democratic governance.
“The laws of our land as well as the Constitution have made copious provisions for dealing with same and bringing the full weight of the laws on such treasonable felons.”
The AGF assured that the Federal Government was irrevocably committed to massively changing the course of narratives within the country’s justice sector.
He noted that with the various reform measures being put in place by the present administration, the justice sector will be given a place of pride it deserves.
The AGF added the federal government will eradicate all forms of obstacles militating against the modernization, effectiveness and efficiency of the justice sector.
He added that with the recent 300 percent salary increment for judicial officers, the efforts of government will 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 in the area of financial autonomy.
He urged Attorneys General of the 36 states to advise their various governors to obey the judgment of the Supreme Court on the financial autonomy for Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
The AGF added: “We are not unaware of the threats and noises of reprisal by some (not all) of the principalities affected by that epic and locus classicus judgement of the Supreme Court who are threatening fire and brimstone in a matter that has been settled and laid to rest finally by our apex court.
“The point must be made that their action in this regard amounts to hoovering round the precinct of contempt of court.
“I urge the Attorneys- General of the affected states to educate and offer sound legal advice, even though very trite and too elementary, to their principals that there can be no appeal against the decision of the Supreme Court.
“They should therefore abide by the principles and the doctrines of the rule of law which is the bedrock of Constitutional democracy.
“We have no doubt or illusion that our country shall now witness a new dawn and era of purposeful governance across all our 774 local governments.
“We urge and appeal to all citizens of this country, professional bodies and associations to be alert and watchful of how the local government are utilizing their allocations for growth and development.
“Our law enforcement agencies too must also monitor all governments and bring the full weight of the laws to bear on any erring government, ministries, departments and or agencies in confirmed cases of misappropriation and or embezzlement, particularly for those who don’t have immunities under the Constitution like our democratically elected local government executives, officers and personnel.”
Fagbemi said: “The Federal Government under the able leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is very much aware and conscious of the present hardships in our country and the hard times that all the citizens of the country are presently undergoing.
“The government appreciates the resilience of all Nigerians and appeals to our people to kindly bear with the government and be assured that the ongoing hardships are very temporary and will soon give ways to era of prosperity and real growth and developments in Nigeria.
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“The government has put several measures and economic policies in place that would soon mature and transform our country into one of the top economies of the globe.”
Fagbemi commended Justice Ariwoola for his many positive contributions to the Judiciary within his about two-year tenure as the CJN
In his valedictory speech, Ariwoola, who gave glory to God for his successful career on the Bench, restated his call for urgent measures to reduce the workload of the Supreme court.
He said: “It is however, my belief that access to justice should not be regarded as an uncontrolled and unfiltered liberty to bring all forms of cases to the Supreme Court.
“It is my belief that we trivialise the institution of the Supreme Court as a court of policy when every form of litigation is able to meander its way to the apex court.
“It also diminishes the judicial importance of the Court of Appeal – that very important appellate court – when every one of its decisions must be reviewed by us here.
“I daresay that if there is another court that is superior to the Supreme Court, many cases will find their way to that court ad infinitum. Counsel and litigants ought to know when to call it a day,” Ariwoola said.