>
Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has said that President Bola Tinubu-led administration would not succumb to blackmail over recent judicial pronouncements arising from electoral disputes.
Speaking on the sidelines of a special prayer and reception organised in commemoration of his appointment by members of his family in Ijagbo, Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State on Saturday, Fagbemi said that that the insinuations which trailed some recent court judgements were within the realm of blackmail until proven.
He said the federal government would not shield errant judges found culpable of misconduct, adding that whatever allegations against any verdict must be accompanied by tangible evidence.
Recall that recent judicial pronouncements on electoral disputes had heightened concern in some quarters with allegations that the judiciary was colluding with ruling All Progressives Congress to turn Nigeria into a one party state.
But the Attorney Fagbemi warned against throwing caution to the wind as a result of electoral defeat suffered in courts.
He noted that it was a misnomer to accuse judges of obtaining bribes based on judgements delivered, saying that judicial verdicts are always premised on the facts presented beforw the court.
The minister added that it was incumbent on candidates in electoral contest to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship and avoid desperation in whatever guise.
“Let me tell you, one thing about justice is that the man who wins will praise the judiciary while the man who lost will never agree he has lost fairly unless they gave him judgements. Unless you are able to bring forth concrete evidence, I will not succumb to what I will call blackmail; because blackmail it is.
“If you have evidence, nobody will shield an erring judge. Bring it to the fore, say it out. For the mere fact that you didn’t win shouldn’t make you throw caution to the wind. It doesn’t work like that. You wanted to win, you put your facts there. The judge said it is not the position. You tried it on appeal, you lost. The Supreme Court, you lost. I think even apart from law, morality also demands that you take it as it is.
“I am not saying that judges cannot be wrong because they are human beings. If they are wrong, and it is not as a result of bribery or corruption, that is fine. But if you want to prove corruption, you know the way to prove it. The mere fact that you lost shouldn’t give insinuation to say the judge has been bribed,” Fagbemi said.
Speaking on the present administration, the AGF said events in the last few months of Tinubu in the saddle attested to the preparation of the president for the job.
He, however, appealed to citizens to exercise patience because the president inherited what he described as the nation’s problems.
“If you look at this man (Mr President), he is somebody who wants to work. He is prepared to do; he is not somebody who wants to be learning on the job, and he has done it before.
“Whoever succeeded in governing Lagos, should be able to govern Nigeria. I am not equating Lagos with Nigeria, but you know what I mean. That is the economic nerve centre of the nation. Go and check his performance in Lagos.
“He is not the one who created these problems in Nigeria but he is still not complaining. Immediately after his swearing-in, what did he do? He went out to seek investors’ support, investors’ buy-in, and he has been doing that, and we have seen positive responses that had been trailing his meetings with the foreign investors.
“The only thing we need is that it wouldn’t come in a day; it doesn’t just come like that. Even if you plant a tree, it will not go to fruition until after awhile,” Fagbemi said.
The reception was attended by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, members of the National Assembly, legal luminaries, associates among others.