By Musa Baba Adamu
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State has expressed dismay over the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) designate, Lateef Fagbemi’s presence at the Abia State governorship election tribunal hearing in Umuahia.
The opposition party, in a statement by Abraham Amah, Vice Chairman, Abia North, said Lateef Fagbemi, who has already been cleared by the Senate, is a member of Governor Alex Otti’s legal team.
Abia PDP claimed that Fagbemi, before his nomination as the AGF, 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 Okey Ahiwe, challenging the declaration of Otti 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.
“The opposition party alleged that the ruling Labour Party in Abia State was deploying panic measures and unnecessary obstructive motions to delay the “pronouncement of justice”.
The Abia PDP said it was disappointed with the incoming Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi for his alleged show of partiality.
But a Labour Party topshot from Ohafia, Kalu Udensi in reaction to PDP’s alarm, said the umbrella party was foreseeing defeat in the tribunal case, hence the need to raise a false alarm to save its face.
He advised the PDP against blackmailing the incoming Attorney General, Lateef Fagbemi.
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