The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagemi (SAN), has cautioned politicians that lost out at the Election Petition Tribunals to stop disparaging the image of the nation’s judiciary.
Describing allegations making the rounds against the country’s judiciary as cheap blackmail, Fagbemi cautioned the concerned politicians against throwing caution to the wind.
The AGF spoke with journalists on the sidelines of a prayer organised for him in his Ijagbo country home in Oyun local government area of Kwara State.
The minister urged politicians to stop making unfounded insinuations against judges, adding that anybody that has concrete evidence against any judge should feel free to bring forth such.
“You lost at the Tribunal, you lost at the Appeal Court and at the Supreme Court, yet you are insinuating foul play. I think even apart from law, morality also demands that you take the outcome as it is.
“I am not saying that judges cannot be wrong because they are human beings. Where anybody sees or feels that the course of justice has been perverted, feel free to bring it forth rather than making unfounded insinuations.
“Unless you are able to bring forth concrete evidence, I will not succumb to blackmail. Nobody will shield an erring judge. One thing about justice is that the man who wins will praise the judgment, the person who loses will never agree that he has lost fairly unless you give him the judgement.
“Don’t forget, when you make unfounded insinuations, you are dragging the name of the nation in the mud,” Fagbemi said.
The minister, however, urged “all and sundry to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship.”
At the venue of the prayer session organised by his siblings and the entire Fagbemis, the minister enjoined Nigerians to give President Bola Tinubu a chance to turn around the fortune of the country.
He explained that President Tinubu was not looking at the immediate benefits of his efforts but long-term benefits, adding “that is why I appeal to all and sundry to give him the chance. He is a man who is ready to do the thing. It takes a while to see the full effect of his efforts.
“He is not the one who created these problems in Nigeria, but he is not complaining. President Tinubu is somebody who want to work. He is prepared to do the job. He is not somebody who is just learning the job. He has done it before in Lagos State. I am not equating Lagos with Nigeria.
“Immediately after his swearing-in, he has been all out to seek investors’ buy-in. As a result, positive responses have been trailing his discussions with foreign investors. The only thing we need is to exercise some patience. Even if you plant a tree, it won’t grow into fruition until after a while.”