The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, has denied a report alleging that he advised President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the 1999 constitution in a bid to combat the rising insecurity situation in the country.
Malami, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) described the reports as false and fictious, saying he would never engage in any anti-constitutional actions.
A memo allegedly attributed to Malami was leaked by the PeoplesGazette on Wednesday.
According to the report by the online medium, Malami in the leaked memo allegedly advised Buhari to suspend the 1999 Constitution and declare a Martial Law on Nigeria.
The New Diplomat understands that Martial law is a temporary imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to a temporary emergency.
According to the purported memo, the AGF allegedly advised Buhari to opt for martial law in order to address the rising cases of criminal activities across the country.
“Abubakar Malami, Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice in the said memo requested the President to move with alacrity to suspend Nigerians’ fundamental rights guaranteed under Chapter IV of the Constitution,” the report stated.
However, Malami who reacted in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr Umar Jibrila Gwandu, urged the public to disregard the reports, saying that he is a “true democrat who believes in rule of law and tenets of democracy and Constitutional order.”
The statement said: “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.
“General publics 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 tenets 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.
