I never asked Buhari to suspend the constitution -Malami

 

Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), says he never wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari asking him to suspend the use of the constitution.

 

The AGF in a statement by his spokesperson, Umar Gwandu, asked Nigerians to disregard news reports accusing him of writing a secret memo to the president in which he advised that the fundamental rights of all Nigerians as guaranteed under chapter IV of the constitution be suspended owing to insecurity.

 

“The attention of the office of the honourable attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN has been drawn to a false and fictitious report alleging that there was a secret memo emanating from the Office to the presidency,” the statement said.

 

“General public are hereby asked to disregard the media report as fabrications of anti-constitutional democratic stability in Nigeria.

 “Malami remains a true democrat who believes in rules of law and tenant of democracy and constitutional order.

 

“The office of the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice is a constitutionally recognised one with its role and responsibilities embedded in the constitution.

 

“It is antithetical to common sense to think that the holder of such coveted office as the attorney-general of the federation and minister of Justice will stoop to what was printed by the media.

“The government does not operate in secrecy as it is not a clandestine operation. Hence, Malami discharges his constitutionally recognized mandates in compliance with principles of transparency, openness and accountability.”

 

Speaking during a Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) programme on Tuesday, the AGF said some people are taking advantage of the federal government’s respect for human rights and rule of law to commit insurgency.

 

He warned that the Buhari administration would not sit back and watch those persons take up arms to render the government “helpless”.