Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, at the weekend accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of frustrating efforts to separate office of the Attorney-General of the Federation from that of Minister of Justice.
He said the former president repeatedly refused to assent to the amendment to the bill.
Ekweremadu, said the proposal to separate the two offices sailed through during the last amendment and that such would make whoever was appointed the AGF to work for the people and not necessarily the government in power as a cabinet minister.
His words: “I believe in the separation of the two offices. I go for it any time, any day. This is because it will guarantee financial independence, security of tenure, and make the holder of the office of the Attorney-General at the state and federal levels to be autonomous in thinking and approach to the idea of justice.
“It will ensure that citizens have access to justice, since the officer will not be dictated to by any external interest or influence.
“During the last constitution amendment, we (members of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution in the 7th National Assembly) recommended it to our colleagues, based on inputs from Nigerians, and they graciously adopted it.
“Unfortunately, the last President did not sign it. Although, we will be looking at all the issues again, the decision on the separation, or any other issue for that matter, will depend on what other colleagues and Nigerians would think. But as a person, I strongly believe in it.”
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