The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Mike Aondoakaa (SAN), yesterday took up issues with those who berated him over the sour relationship between him and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He said he would not be intimidated by anybody and would continue to follow the rule of law in the discharge of his duties.
A groundswell of support emerged for Aondoakaa yesterday over the matter.
The Nigerian Bar Associ-ation (NBA) and the Body of Benchers threw their weight behind him.
Also, two Lagos-based lawyers, Messrs Bamidele Aturu and Festus Keyamo, in separate interviews with THISDAY last night, dismissed the call for the sack of the minister, describing it as baseless.
The AG reacted to the vitriolic criticisms against him at a special court sitting to mark the commencement of Federal High Court legal year in Abuja.
Aondoakaa has come under strident attacks in the past few weeks from prominent legal luminaries and jurists which included Lagos-based Lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, and Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Olayinka Ayoola, over the prosecutorial powers of EFCC.
Gani specifically called for Aondoakaa’s sack saying he was appalled by the “negative and unconstitutional role” being played by the minister with regards to the anti-corruption war embarked upon by EFCC.
But in his short remark at the start of the Federal High Court legal year, the minister described the actions of some legal practitioners who condemn court decisions on the pages of newspapers as a dangerous precedent.
“Once there is a valid decision of a court, the government will obey. It is a dangerous precedent to condemn the decision of a court on the pages of newspapers.
“I am glad that I have this opportunity to say this. I just came back from abroad and I got the invitation to this event about ten minutes ago. But I insisted that I must be here. I must say that I still hold that orders of the courts must be obeyed. Even if the order is reckless, I will still obey it, though I will go to a higher court to appeal against it and I will ask for stay,” he said.
He continued, “I won’t stay in my bathroom or office and be interpreting a valid order of the court and ask an agency of the government not to obey it. I argued a case before the Supreme Court where I canvassed that both the State and Federal High Courts should have coordinate jurisdiction on the issue of fundamental human rights and the apex court held my position. I won’t say now that I am the Attorney General, I won’t obey an order of the state high court on such matter and ask an agency of the government not to obey the order.
“I will continue to obey court orders regardless of what anybody might say. Let them know that I cannot be intimidated by press interviews that they grant all over the place. I will continue to follow the rule of law in everything that I do in the office.”
At the same occasion, the NBA President, Chief Olisa Agbakoba SAN, represented by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo SAN, said the association was in full support of the actions of the AG to defend the rule of law.
The Body of Benchers which also declared its support for the minister warned that the office should not be desecrated by those criticising him.
The group’s message was delivered at the event by Chief Joe Kyari Gadzama (SAN).
In his own remark, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, assured Nigerians that FCT Administration would comply fully with court orders.
He said there were about 500 cases against FCT in courts and assured that he would do everything possible to ensure that some of them were settled out of court.
In telephone interviews with THISDAY, Aturu and Keyamo dismissed allegations that Aondoakaa had been shielding corrupt ex-public officers from prosecution.
They argued that the allegation could not be substantiated.
While Aturu admitted that the AG might have made some mistakes in the course of doing his job, he was swift to add that the call for his sack was hasty.
Instead, he said the minister only needed to be told that Nigerians would not condone anything that could undermine the efficacy of the anti-corruption war.
"Honestly, I don't have any evidence that the man has been protecting people from prosecution. I don't have any evidence. I can't say if it’s true. He might have made mistakes, but I don't think they are enough to come up with that allegation.
"The call for his sack is another issue. It is too early to be calling for his sack. I don't think he has done anything to be calling for his sack. That is my opinion. But I think he must be told that Nigerians will not tolerate any attempt to thwart the anti-corruption war," Aturu said.
But Keyamo categorically described the allegation against Aondoakaa as cheap blackmail, adding that the call for his sack was baseless.
According to him, those making allegations against the AG are only doing so because he has insisted on the application of the principles of rule of law in prosecuting accused persons, as well as his determination to stop indiscriminate arrests in the country.
"I think what is happening is nothing but pure blackmail. And the reason is because the man has insisted on rule of law. All the man has done is to insist on rule of law. Some people feel the era of impunity must continue. He has not withdrawn any charge against anybody. They are just trying to blackmail him," he said.
Keyamo also argued that those who alleged that the anti-corruption war had slowed down since the AG attempted to be involved were doing so because there had not been indiscriminate arrests since then.
"What they consider as 'slow down' is because they are no longer arresting people indiscriminately. Nobody is arrested with impunity any longer. That is what they consider as 'slow down’," he said.
On the call for the minister’s sack, Keyamo said, "I don't support the call. The call is baseless."
From Funso Muraina in Abuja and Philip Ogunmade in Lagos
This Day
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
