By John Joseph
Kindly share this news
The Nigerian House of Representatives is considering a bill that seeks to separate the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation from that of the Minister of Justice. This proposed legislation also aims to separate the office of the Attorney-General at the state level from that of the Commissioner for Justice.
The bill, sponsored by two members of the House of Representatives from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mansur Soro and Oluwole Oke, has received backing from the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend Section 150 of the Nigerian Constitution by adding a new subsection that states, “There shall be an Attorney-General of the Federation who shall be the Chief Law Officer of the Federation and shall not be the same person as the Minister of Justice.” The bill also proposes to amend Section 195 of the Constitution to create a similar office at the state level.
According to Soro, the sponsor of the bill, the aim is to enhance professionalism in the administration of justice, protect public interest, and prevent the use of the justice system for political gain.
Soro noted that the Attorney-General and the Minister of Justice have distinct roles, with the former responsible for prosecuting cases on behalf of the government and advising on legal matters, while the latter serves as a political advisor to the government.
Kindly share this news!!!