Reps move to separate AGF, minister of justice offices
The bill’s objective is to amend Section 150 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) by introducing a new sub-section 1.
House of Reps
They proposed that “There shall be an Attorney-General of the Federation who shall be the Chief Law Officer of the Federation different from the person occupying the position of the Minister of Justice to be appointed by the President, subject to the confirmation of the Senate.”
It also seeks to introduce a sub-section to Section 195 of the Constitution.
The new sub-section to be introduced reads, “There shall be an Attorney-General for each State who shall be the Chief Law Officer of the State to be appointed by the Governor, subject to the confirmation of the House of Assembly.”
Remarking on the objective of the proposed bill, Soro said, “The reason for this proposal is to enhance efficiency in the dispensation of criminal justice, safeguard the public interest and deter abuse of legal process in public prosecutions at both the federal and state levels.”
“The Minister of Justice of the Federal Government and Commissioners of Justice of the government of the states can be described as partisan political advisors providing legal advice to cabinets and overseeing justicial policy matters.
“The Attorney-General litigates on behalf of the federal or state governments, overseeing prosecutions and providing advisory on draft legislations and agreements under consideration by the government. The Attorney-General is intended to be an impartial law officer of the government,” the lawmaker told the PUNCH.
He noted that the combined roles of the minister or commissioner of justice with the attorney general would bring about a conflict of interests, stressing that the bill intended to “eliminate the conflict, limit risks of political interference, boost public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system among others.”
Regarding the potential financial implications for the government if the bill becomes law, Soro said the gains in the proposed law far outweigh the costs.
“I have been an advocate of affordable government, but when you look at the objectives of this proposal, the gains are more than the concerns about the cost of governance,” he added.
