The Abia Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lawyers at the Abia election Petition Tribunal and other Abians have condemned the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria designate, Lateef Fagbemi for appearing at the ongoing tribunal in Umuahia on Thursday where the petition brought against his client, Dr Alex Otti by the PDP and its candidate, Sir Okey Ahiwe, challenging the declaration of Labour Party’s candidate as the winner in the 2023 Governorship election in the state.
Fagbemi is the lead counsel to Mr Otti in the cases brought by both APC and PDP challenging the declaration of Mr Alex Otti as winner of the March 18 2023 governorship election in the state.
There was uproar in the tribunal court as the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice-Designate, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, showed up.
Although Mr Fagbemi did not announce his appearance, it was reported that his presence in court and his sitting with Otti’s lawyers was interpreted by some lawyers present as a “needless attempt to intimidate members of the tribunal”.
“After being nominated by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, screened, cleared and confirmed by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to serve as a Federal Minister, and having been assigned the portfolio of Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, one thought that Chief Lateef Fagbemi ought to know that he can no longer show up in court for private cases in which he has interests like that of Mr Otti”, one of the lawyers present quipped.
Another lawyer wondered “why Lawmakers appointed as ministers by President Bola Tinubu had to quit their former roles to attend Senate screening and focus on the job ahead but Fagbemi chose to cling to a private matter he was handling in court thereby casting doubts already about his impartiality as Minister of Justice. This is obviously a move to intimidate members of the tribunal”.
Meanwhile, the Abia State PDP noted that it has observed with utter dismay that the Chief Law Officer designate of the Federation, Fagbemi, who has already been cleared by the Nigerian Senate and due to be sworn in as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria on Monday August 21, 2023, Thursday showed up in court and sat beside Governor Alex Otti’s legal team during the Election Petition Tribunal sitting.
According to the party, it is “a graphic display of authority meant to intimidate both the petitioners, the Abia PDP, its candidate Sir Okey Ahiwe and members of the Abia Election Petition Tribunal”.
The Abia PDP Vice Chairman/Acting State Publicity Secretary, Hon. Elder Abraham Amah in a press statement said, “Mr. Lateef Fagbemi before his nomination and eventual designation as Nigeria’s Chief Law Officer was the lead counsel to Alex Otti and the Labour Party in the petition brought against them by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and its candidate Sir Okey Ahiwe, challenging the declaration of Alex Otti of the Labour Party as the winner in the Abia 2023 Governorship election.
“Mr. Fagbemi’s presence in court yesterday was inconsiderate and as a senior lawyer, he ought to have known that having been nominated, screened and designated as the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, he should no longer show up in court for cases in which he has private interests as in the case of Alex Otti and the Labor Party. His presence in the tribunal yesterday as a personal lawyer to a private litigant shows a grave and dangerous misunderstanding of the importance of the exalted position he is to occupy and casts doubts about his understanding of the weight and significance of that office.
“It is laughable that Alex Otti and Labour Party took to this panic measure because it has become obvious to them that the weight of evidence against them is highly overwhelming and as they have always done since the Tribunal started sitting, employed another needless hardball tactics to truncate the course of justice through technicalities, intimidation and interminable obstructive motions to delay the pronouncement of justice”.
The Abia PDP therefore expressed its disappointment with the incoming Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi “who has even before assumption of office started to show partiality through his body language and our only interpretation of his presence in court yesterday is that it was meant to send signals and intimidate members of the tribunal and the petitioners in the matter. We also understand that his presence in court was to boost the dwindling fortunes of the respondents which is crumbling under the weight of evidence everyday.
“In case Lateef Fagbemi has forgotten, the role of an attorney general and justice minister is to give impartial legal advice to the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not to take private briefs from individuals or continue to represent private citizens once he has accepted to serve as the country’s chief law officer.
“The Abia PDP is mindful of the fact that some prominent lawyers have already condemned his actions and also advised him to recuse himself from the case and face his duties as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
“And to Alex Otti and the Labour Party, Abia PDP advises them to allow justice to take a natural course and stop using intimidation and unnecessary tactics to torpedo the delivery of justice in the State because as it is now, all eyes are on the judiciary in Abia State”.
Another group, the Abia Renaissance Movement, (ARM), while reacting through a statement signed by its Convener, Comrade Ukachukwu Chinonso and the Secretary-General, Comrade Mrs Maria Nwokoma, and made available to the media in Umuahia, stated that’, “Having accepted public service, we wonder why Mr Fagbemi should still concern himself with private matters.
“It is obvious that since Mr Alex Otti sensed that the plethora and quality of evidence against him at the tribunal were too weighty, he has resorted to doing everything possible to intimidate the judiciary, arm twist witnesses and misrepresent INEC.
“We urge members of the panel to remain forthright and neither be swayed nor intimidated by an appointee when they enjoy the full support and protection of the Nigerian Judicial Council, NJC, which is the only Body they are answerable to in the discharge of their duties.
They called on Mr President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to call Mr Lateef Fagbemi to order and not allow him “bring opprobrium to his administration that is still trying its best to solve the myriads of problems afflicting the nation”.
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