Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof. Mike Ozekhome, has called on the Federal Government to separate the offices of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Minister of Justice, arguing that their current combination compromises justice delivery.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Ozekhome emphasized the need for impartiality in the AGF’s role, which he said should be distinct from political influence.
“There should be a Minister of Justice, and an Attorney General of the Federation,” he stated. “The AGF should not owe allegiance to the government but to the Federation, as the Chief Law Officer of the nation.”
He criticized the AGF’s recent directive on the disbursement of local government allocations in Osun State, despite a High Court ruling that nullified the election of All Progressives Congress (APC) council officials.
“He was aware they had been sacked and not reinstated by any court, yet directed funds to them,” Ozekhome said.
Referencing a landmark 2004 Supreme Court case between Lagos State and the Federal Government under President Obasanjo, Ozekhome reminded the public that local government funds cannot be withheld unlawfully.
He added, “If the AGF didn’t advise the President correctly, he failed in his duty. And if he did and the President ignored it, he should have resigned.”
Ozekhome also addressed broader constitutional concerns, stating that piecemeal amendments cannot fix what he called the “original sin” of Nigeria’s military-imposed constitution.
“One million amendments won’t change a constitution never subjected to a people’s referendum,” he noted.
He urged Nigeria to lead by example in Africa, referencing the 1884–85 Berlin Conference’s legacy and highlighting the 2018 African Continental Free Trade Agreement as a positive step.
“Don’t just be a giant in size be a giant in action,” he said.
On governance, Ozekhome warned that impunity, insecurity, and weak institutions continue to erode democracy.
He called on the Nigerian Bar Association to use its annual conference to address critical national issues, including electoral reforms and the rule of law.
Also speaking on the programme, former Aviation Minister Osita Chidoka expressed deep concern over rising insecurity, warning that Nigeria is facing “an existential crisis.”
“We cannot hand over this country to non-state actors. It is unacceptable. This is the road to Syria,” Chidoka said, urging bipartisan cooperation on national security.
“The foremost duty of any government is the protection of lives and property,” he concluded.
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