$418m Paris Club Consultancy: Separate AGF from Ministry of Justice now – CNPP

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has reiterated the call for the separation of the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and that of the Minister of Justice.

CNPP said this while reacting to the accusation by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) against the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over his interest in the controversial $418million refund requested by consultants with respect to the Paris Club refund.

It also backed the Governors Forum on the accusation that Malami has more than passive interest in the refund money.

In a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, the CNPP said the insistence by the Federal Government through the office of the Attorney-General Office and Minister of Justice that the deduction was lawful is loud enough to convince any discerning citizen.

The CNPP noted that despite the fact that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on Friday barred the Federal Government from deducting $418million from the bank accounts of the 36 states of the federation, the Attorney-General Office and Minister of Justice has continued to insist on the deductions.

“If there is a time the office of the Attorney-General and that of the Minister of Justice should be separated, it is now.

“The current Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has bastardized the office of the Minister of Justice. His defence of government actions and inactions has not only made him unfit to hold the two offices.

“Mr. Malami has made several utterances that have portrayed him as a biased Chief Law Officer of the federation.

“The CNPP therefore stands with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on their position that Malami has a vested interest in the money being requested by the consultants”, the CNPP stated.