Olusegun Ariyo
Nigerian frontline lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, has asked the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, to resign from the position if President Bola Tinubu does not listen to his legal guidance.
The senior lawyer said this while noting that the Federal Government’s decision to withhold funds meant for local governments in Osun State is nothing but a political move.
He said that the President may not be getting proper legal guidance from Fagbemi following the AGF’s recent recommendation in a letter to the Ministry of Finance that the LGA allocations be released to the sacked All Progressives Congress, APC, officials in the state.
Ozekhome said this was not good for democracy.
He reminded Tinubu that, as the governor of Lagos State, he encountered a similar issue with the then Olusegun Obasanjo, who withheld Lagos state allocations.
“The Supreme Court held that the Federal Government could never withhold funds meant for local governments in Lagos State,” he reminded the President.
Ozekhome said he doubts if the President would reject proper advice and legal guidance from Fagbemi, adding, “If he did give the advice and the President ignored it, then he ought to resign.”
According to him, when the AGF, Mohammed Bello Adoke, advised former President Goodluck Jonathan against removing the Governor of Plateau State from office while a state of emergency could be declared in Plateau, “The President abided by that advice.”
