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Malami not fit to be AGF – Senate Spokesman

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The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media, Senator Ajibola Basiru, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to remove the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, from office immediately following his alleged juandiced comments on the southern governors position on open grazing.

Basiru, however, said he spoke in his personal capacity as a patriot and Senator.

Malami had in a television programme on Wednesday, faulted the decision of the southern governors, saying it was unconstitutional for them to ban open grazing.

According to Malami, the decision of the southern governors “does not hold water” in the context of human rights as enshrined in the constitution.

“It is about constitutionality within the context of the freedoms expressed in our constitution. Can you deny the rights of a Nigerian?” he added.

However, Basiru in a statement, took a swipe at Malami’s statement, describing his comments as, “less than dignifying argument of equating open grazing with southerners selling spare parts in the North.”

He further said, “It was not dignifying of the status of the nation’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice to make such remarks.”

Basiru noted that equating the activities of archaic nomadic herdsmen who destroy peoples means of livelihood with others legitimately carrying on businesses by selling spare parts in their shops amounted to standing logic on its head, adding that the statement of the Attorney General was one capable of derailing the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria.

He, therefore called for “the immediate removal from office of the AGF.”

According to Basiru, “Anyone who cannot rise above primordial sentiments and pursuit of parochial ethnic agenda need not occupy position of trust especially at this time of sectional agitations.

“These kind of statements has made Nigeria a laughing stock in the comity of nations and in fact they ridicule the administration of President Buhari.

“These statements are not giving hope to those at the receiving end of the activities of the herdsmen.

“Perhaps, the Attorney General of the Federation forget that Nigeria is a federal system with the states government empowered to make and implement laws for the peace, order and good government of or any part of their respective state.

“This power is derived from the Constitution, which with the Land Use Act, vested on the governors the management of all land within the territory of the state.

“This primacy of this onerous responsibility cannot be over emphasized in the face rising tensions along ethnic/regional fault lines have damaged national unity.”

He, also, challenged Malami to cite relevant sections of the constitution which allowed the herders to trespass on other people’s land and destroy the crops in the guise of freedom of movement pointing out that the AGF’s comment was less than patriotic.

He noted that the quest to promote unity and prosperity of the country was the utmost responsibility of government adding that actions of persons in authority must be seen to protect the corporate existence the country and advised those who have no meaningful contributions to national discourse operating on the basis of equity and justice to keep quiet and stop rubbishing the Buhari- led APC government.

 


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