Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, has called for an end to the interpretation of judicial matters through political or partisan lenses.
Fagbemi made the remarks on Thursday during a press briefing after the presentation of the book, ‘Tribulations and Trophies: Bola Ajibola… in His Own Words!’ in Lagos. The book is an autobiography of the late Bola Ajibola, a former attorney-general and ex-judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague.
Responding to questions about the ongoing emergency rule in Rivers State, Fagbemi emphasized that he has refrained from taking sides in the matter, as it is currently under judicial review. He urged Nigerians to avoid allowing emotions and political sentiments to influence their understanding of legal issues.
“When issues like this come up, people should go and read very well and get themselves familiar with what the law says,” the AGF said. He added that interpreting legal matters requires a focus on facts rather than emotions.
Fagbemi also noted that Nigerians should refrain from politicizing judicial issues, urging citizens to allow the courts to handle matters based on law, rather than public sentiment. “It’s not a matter of sentiment or emotions, but a matter of basic facts on ground,” he remarked.
He reiterated that despite being part of the government, he has remained neutral in his public stance regarding the issue and has avoided making any unnecessary comments, emphasizing the importance of letting the judiciary make its pronouncement on the matter.
The statement follows the emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State on March 18, citing an ongoing political crisis. As part of the emergency measures, the president suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. Additionally, the president appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired naval chief, as the state’s sole administrator during this period.
Fagbemi’s comments reflect his call for legal matters to be treated with the seriousness they deserve, without being swayed by political divides. He urged the public to trust the judiciary’s role in resolving such issues.
