My Statement Meant To Show Independence Of Judiciary –AGF Malami

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Jusitce, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has said that his comments few days ago regarding the judiciary has been taken out of context by his detractors.

The AGF, while responding to a question on Channels Television on Monday had said that the executive was not to blame for the slow dispensation of justice, adding “It is exclusively a judicial affair.”

His response provoked a swift reaction from the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko.

The CJN felt that the AGF was not telling the public the true situation of things.

Tanko’s senior special assistant on media, Ahuraka Yusuf Isah, had accused Nigeria’s Chief law officer of loading the courts with case files having charges it cannot prove, thereby elongating the case.

“More often than not, the Federal Government’s prosecution sector files more charges than it can prove or provide witnesses to prove, ostensibly at times for the prosecution to even fail,” said Tanko’s aide on Tuesday.

However, the AGF through his spokesperson, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, said the backlash he is getting might be based on wrong narratives put forward to discredit him and destroy the cordial relationship between the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government and the legislative and judiciary arms of government.

He noted that what the AGF meant was that the FG respects the doctrine of separation of powers.

The statement added that the federal government has rather done well in approving the provisions for financial autonomy of the state legislature and judiciary.

“It was an innocent statement aimed at showing and re-enactment of tripartite division of powers and responsibilities among the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary,” he said on Wednesday.