Stop giving political meaning to judicial matters – AGF

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on Thursday cautioned against politicizing judicial matters, warning that such actions could have serious consequences.
He called on stakeholders to set aside emotions and approach legal issues strictly through the lens of the Constitution.
Speaking on the ongoing discussions surrounding the potential declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, Fagbemi emphasized his decision to remain neutral, noting that the matter is currently before the courts.
He spoke with reporters in Lagos shortly after the presentation of the book: “Tribulations and Trophies, Bola Ajibola in His Own Words!”.
The book, which is an autobiography of the late Ajibola, a former Attorney-General of the Federation, chronicled the life and times of the former Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague.
Ajibola was the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president when military President Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babangida appointed him AGF in 1985.
Before his death on April 8, 2023, at the age of 89, Ajibola was the founder of Crescent University in Abeokuta.
Fagbemi, who noted that the appointment of Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Administrator of Rivers generated diverse views, cautioned against unnecessary comments.
He said: “When issues like this come up, people should go and read very well and get themselves familiar with what the law says.
“It’s not a matter of sentiment or emotions, but a matter of basic facts on ground.
“Nigerians should stop interpreting the law based on political partisanship, but let’s stick to the law.
“You’ll see that I’ve avoided taking sides on any issue, though I’m part of the government.
“And I know that this matter has been subjected to judicial scrutiny and let us allow the court to make its decision one way or the other.
“People should avoid making unnecessary comments.
“Since we have subjected the matter to court interpretation, let’s wait for the judiciary to make its pronouncement.”
Fagbemi described Ajibola as a reformer and an achiever.