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Why I Accepted To Serve in Tinubu’s Cabinet — AGF Lateef Fagbemi

Published

2 years ago

September 24, 2023

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi has revealed why he accepted to serve in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu.

According to the legal luminary, he accepted to serve in the administration of President Tinubu in order to contribute his quota to the progress and development of the country.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria who said he was surprised by his nomination as a minister because he did not lobby for it, added that the time had come for the professionals and technocrats in the country not to leave the business of governance alone to the politicians but join the fray to make a change

Fagbemi spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital at the weekend when he was hosted to a reception by members of the Emmanuel Chambers led by the leader and founder of the Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN.

The event was attended by top lawyers in the country including Chief Akin Olujimi, SAN ; Chief Niyi Akintola,SAN ; Adebayo Adenipekun,SAN and the national secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Ajibola Bashiru.

The minister, who was the second lawyer from the chambers to be made Attorney General of the Federation after Chief Akin Olujimi, explained that he was already collating views and ideas of stakeholders towards having a blueprint for the nation’s justice system in line with the agenda of the president for the country.

While commending his colleagues and friends for organizing the reception, he stated that the contributions of Afe Babalola to his success and achievement in the legal profession were immeasurable and unmatched, promising not to disappoint the chambers in his new role.

According to him, “I did not submit any application nor lobby to be made the minister. I know a lot of people have been insinuating and I can say that I don’t know anything about the ministerial nomination. The president told me that, ‘ don’t allow anyone to deceive you, I want you that is why I appointed you. In fact, I did not have a CV as of the time I was nominated because I have never needed it in my life and when I got to the DSS , they were surprised I didn’t have a prepared CV.

“I have accepted this responsibility and all I need is your advice. We cannot all be saying the way they(Politicians) have been doing it we don’t like it , then you leave them. I am not a politician but we should be there to make a change in our country.

“Getting to a position is not the issue but maintaining the status of such a position is the issue and that is why I said it is a challenge because I know hopes are high. As I mentioned earlier, you don’t just come out and say this is what I will do, you must also follow up with how you will do it. And that is why all the critical stakeholders are being engaged to have their inputs, harmonize their views, then come out with what I will call a blueprint, in line with the Mr President’s Renewed hope agenda.”

On the call for a transformation of the country by speakers at the event, Fagbemi emphasized the need for the three tiers of government to collaborate and bring ideas together for the effective growth and development of the nation.

“The issue of transformation of the country is not a one man business. People make the mistake of thinking that it belongs to the federal government alone, that is not correct. The correct position is to appreciate the fact that Nigeria is a federation and when you talk about a federation, each segment has to man its post.

“In order to have any meaningful impact, progress and development, you need to engage each of these tiers of government to be on the same page and sing from the same hymn so that we can all present what I will call comprehensive development or progress in the nation,” he said.

Speaking, the ABUAD founder, Afe Babalola eulogized the achievements of Fagbemi in the legal profession since he joined his Emmanuel chambers in 1985 as corps member and conferred with the rank of SAN at the age of 37.

He called on the new Attorney general to use his office to engineer the needed change in the political system in the country with a new constitution , which he said would help the nation survive its current challenges across major sectors.

The renowned lawyer said, “I know Lateef Fagbemi, he is an uncommon man doing uncommon things and achieving uncommon results. He is a pride to the chambers because he had learnt how to turn things around.

“ While the government may be studying the situation, the truth is that Nigerians are becoming more and more impatient. The age long adage is that we should not treat leprosy with the drugs meant for scabies. I repeat that what we need is a New Constitution.

“I believe that with his experience , Lateef Fagbemi can turn things around and build a new Nigeria through a new constitution under which politics shall no longer be regarded as a transactional business.”

On his part, the Ekiti state governor, Biodun Oyebanji who hailed Babalola for the achievements recorded by his chambers in the legal profession by producing two Attorneys General, urged the minister to remain committed in upholding the principle of justice, fairness and the rule of law in the country.
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MOWAA: Okpehbolo Receives Edo Assembly Resolution Indicting Obaseki

Published

1 hour ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, received report and resolutions of the Edo State House of Assembly which indicted former Governor Godwin Obaseki on the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) and the Radisson Hotel projects.

Recall that the Edo Assembly raised a five-man committee to investigate funding and ownership of both projects following a request by Governor Okpebholo.

Okpebholo, who spoke after receiving the report said its findings and recommendations would be fully implemented.

Okpebholo said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would be invited to further examine issues raised in the recommendations.

According to him, the Edo State Government has significant stakes in the MOWAA and Radisson Blu hotel having invested ₦3.8bn respectively in both projects.

He said changes in the structure and nomenclature of the MOWAA project made the investigation unavoidable.

Okpebholo said it was unacceptable to suggest Edo State has only 10 per cent stake in the Radisson Blu hotem despite investing over ₦28bn.

“Edo State has spent over ₦3.8 billion on this project, yet some people are saying the state has no stake in it. That is totally unacceptable. I will work with your recommendations and forward them to the relevant authorities to investigate what truly happened. We will also involve the EFCC.

“Our investment in this project is over ₦28 billion. We must invite the EFCC to step in and determine if this is how businesses are conducted in Nigeria,” he said.

In its recommendations passed by the Assembly, the five-man committee headed by Hon Addeh Isibor, urged the Edo State Government to take possession of both projects.

It asked Governor Okpebholo to contract competent hands to complete renovation of the Hotel and take all steps to put the Hotel to use.

The recommendations urged the Edo State Government to revoke “the fraudulent Certificate of Occupancy to the property issued in the name of Hospitality Investment and Management Company Limited and revert same to the Edo State Government that purchased the property.

“That the Edo State Government initiate legal action and work with relevant Anti-graft Agencies to retrieve both the complete statement of account and the balance of the Seventeen Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira (N17,500,000,000.00) Bond proceeds still in the possession of the Escrow Agents. Meristen Trustees Limited and Emerging Africa Trustees Limited.

“The title to the MOWAA Property having never been revoked, same remains the property of the Central Hospital, Benin City

“That the Edo State Government immediately takes all necessary step to put the property to good use in the best and overriding public interest of the people of Edo State.”

Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, said the facts about MOWAA and Radisson Blu Hotel were now clearly documented in resolutions and outcomes.

News

Sheikh Gummi Sues Two Over Alleged False Facebook Publication

Published

4 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

Prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gummi, has approached the Chief Magistrate Court in Kaduna, seeking the issuance of a criminal direct complainant summons against two Facebook users over alleged criminal conspiracy, attempt to cause public disturbance and criminal defamation.

The application, filed at the Chief Magistrate Court sitting on Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kaduna, listed the defendants as George Udom and Bello Isiaka.

According to him, the defendants allegedly published a “Breaking News” statement on their respective Facebook pages on December 23, 2025, between 7:00 am and 10:00 am, attributed to him, threatening that the family of the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, would be eliminated if military operations against bandits were not stopped.

Gummi alleged that the publication was falsely attributed to him, as his photograph was allegedly used alongside the statement, giving the impression that he issued the threat against the Defence Minister.

The Islamic scholar stated that following the publication, he received numerous phone calls from concerned members of the public who believed he authored the statement and was attempting to intimidate the Minister of Defence in the discharge of his official duties.

He further maintained that the publication portrayed him as a troublemaker and a threat to public peace, despite his long-standing reputation as a cleric known for preaching peace and harmony within and outside Nigeria.

The complainant argued that the alleged publication was capable of inciting public disorder in Kaduna State, particularly Southern Kaduna, and could expose him to danger by presenting him as a prime suspect in the event of any attack on the Defence Minister’s family.

He also contended that the actions of the defendants amounted to an attempt to cause public disturbance and criminal defamation of his character.

Dr Gummi told the court that the alleged acts contravened Sections 59, 57, 372, 116 and 117 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.

The application, dated December 24, 2025, was filed by a team of lawyers led by Suleiman Danlami Lere, with the complainant urging the court to summon the defendants to answer to the allegations.

News

JUST IN: Kano Lawmaker, Sarki Aliyu Daneji, Dies Hours After Colleague’s Passing

Published

4 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

Hon. Sarki Aliyu Daneji, the lawmaker representing Kano Municipal in the Kano State House of Assembly, died on Wednesday, barely hours after the death of his colleague, Hon. Aminu Sa’adu Ungogo.

The Director-General, Media and Public Relations, Government House, Kano, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, confirmed Daneji’s death to journalists in Kano.

Daneji’s demise came shortly after the passing of Hon. Ungogo, who was the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations and represented Ungogo Local Government in the Assembly. Ungogo, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), reportedly died after a brief illness.

He was said to have been at the Kano State House of Assembly earlier in the day, attending a committee meeting before his death.

The sudden loss of the two lawmakers within a short interval has thrown the Kano State House of Assembly into mourning, with colleagues, party members and constituents expressing shock and grief over the tragic development.