Reps begin fresh move to separate office of AGF from minister of justice

A bill to have the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) separated from that of the minister of justice, on Tuesday, passed second reading at the House of Representatives.

The lawmakers said one of the essence of the move was to ensure that the AGF’s office was freed from political interferences.

This is not the first time the lawmakers are making the move. The 8th National Assembly had also made efforts to split the office as part of its Constitution review exercise.

The state Houses of Assembly were yet to send in their votes to the 8th National Assembly before it wound down.

Aleast, a two-third of the states Houses of Assembly members have to concur with the federal parliament for the success of the move.

The fresh move to separate the two offices was contained in a Bill introduced by the Majority Whip of the House, Mr Mohammed Monguno, which intended to alter the 1999 Constitution to separate the two positions.

In his lead debate, Monguno said the proposal was based on his experience as a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Borno State, stating that at the moment, too much power is vested in the minister, or commissioner for justice by combining the two offices.

According to him, the powers vested in the attorney general by the constitution are judicial in nature and when fully exercised, they could affect the rights of the people, which should not be exposed to political influence.

The Chief Whip noted that the attorney general had the powers to enter a nolle a prosequi or discontinue a case already in court, adding that recent developments had suggested that it should be isolated from political interference.

He further said that while President Muhammadu Buhari should be free to make political considerations in the appointment of a justice minister, the appointment of the attorney general should be based only on career progression.

After the bill was unanimously passed, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, referred it to the Committee on Legislative Matters for further legislative action.

The Reps members, also during Tuesday plenary, passed for second reading, another bill seeking to amend the constitution to allow members of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to appoint their secretary “rather than being recommended for appointment by a lower body of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.”

Also passed for second reading was a bill seeking to amend Section 7 of the constitution to provide for the offices of chairman and vice-chairman of local government councils.

The amendment wants new conditions for the qualification and disqualification of a chairman, declaration of assets and liabilities, oaths of office, election of a chairman, nomination and election of a vice-chairman, removal of a chairman or vice-chairman from office, the tenure of office for the chairman and the election of councillors.

READ ALSO: Reps begin probe of DSS’ ‘invasion’ of court to re-arrest Sowore

Dachung Bagos, the sponsor of the bill said in his lead debate on bill said, “Essentially, this bill seeks to provide for election and tenure of office for local government chairmen/councillors and prescribe the mode of exercising legislative powers of the local government council.

“This is a very straight-forward piece of legislation that seeks to provide for democratically elected local government councils and, as true representatives of our people, the need to alter this relevant provision of the Constitution cannot be over-emphasised. I, therefore, appeal for your overwhelming support that the bill be read for the second time and referred to the ad hoc Committee on the Review of the Constitution for further legislative action please.”

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