Separate AGF, Minister of Justice Roles, Advocates Ozekhome, Warns Against Political Interference
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof. Mike Ozekhome, has called on the Federal Government to separate the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) from that of the Minister of Justice, insisting that combining both positions undermines justice delivery in the country.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, Ozekhome argued that while ministers are political appointees, the AGF, as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, ought to remain impartial and independent of political influence.
“There should be a Minister of Justice and an Attorney General of the Federation,” Ozekhome said.
“The Attorney General should stamp his feet on the ground and say no to politics, yes to my role as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, whose allegiance is not to the federal government but to the Federation.”
The rights activist faulted recent actions of the AGF regarding the disbursement of local government allocations in Osun State. He recalled that a High Court had nullified the elections that brought All Progressives Congress (APC) council officials into office, yet the AGF still wrote a letter authorising funds to them.
“He knew very well they had been sacked from office and never reinstated by any court of law,” Ozekhome stated, accusing the AGF of undermining judicial authority.
Citing precedent, the legal luminary referred to the 2004 Supreme Court ruling in the case between Lagos State and the federal government under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which held that the federal government could not withhold funds due to local governments.
“If the Attorney General failed to give the President the right advice, it is a failure on his part. And if he did give that advice, and Mr. President refused, all he needed to do was resign from office,” he declared.
Ozekhome further linked his demand to broader constitutional reforms, stressing that Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution remains flawed because it was imposed by the military without a referendum.
“One million amendments cannot cure the Constitution of its original sin of being a military position not subjected to referendum of the people,” he said, urging a complete overhaul rather than piecemeal changes.
Beyond legal matters, the human rights lawyer called on Nigeria to demonstrate true leadership on the African continent, warning against a legacy of impunity and insecurity.
“Don’t just be giant in size alone, be giant in acts, in action,” he urged, referencing Africa’s colonial exploitation at the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 while praising the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) signed in 2018 as a step in the right direction.
He added: “We need to speak truth to power. We need to challenge impunity. The Nigerian Bar Association’s annual conference must not shy away from pressing national issues, including electoral reforms, constitutional restructuring, and the rule of law.”
Also contributing on the programme, former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, raised the alarm over worsening insecurity across the country.
Chidoka warned that Nigeria was facing an existential crisis, saying, “The country is bleeding, and it is time to stop it. We cannot surrender this country to non-state actors. It is totally unacceptable, and it is the road to Syria.”
He urged both government and opposition leaders to close ranks in the interest of national security, adding that “the number one purpose of government is the safety of the lives and property of citizens.”
