My take on Nnamdi Kanu – Ondo A-G, Ajulo
By Gbenga Aderanti
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ondo State, Dr Olukayode Ajulo (SAN), in this interview with Gbenga Aderanti, speaks on different issues, including the gale of defections into the All Progressives Congress (APC), the jailed leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, among others. Excerpts:
How would you describe the recent appointments made by the President?
I appreciate the complexity of the political dimensions surrounding this question, but I would like to focus on the legal aspects of it. We must adhere to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended. The President operates under the authority granted to him by the Nigerian electorate, which we call a mandate here, and his power to make appointments is outlined in Section 171 of the Constitution.
Furthermore, the federal character principle in Section 14(3) mandates that appointments reflect the diversity of our nation. The list presented shows the states of origin of the nominees, and it’s evenly distributed among the states which indicates compliance with this constitutional requirement.
The President’s constitutional duty is simply to nominate; the Senate, representing the Nigerian people in their various senatorial districts, retains the power of confirmation under Section 147(2). If the Senate finds a nominee unsuitable, they decline confirmation and the President may present another name. Legally speaking, therefore, the process followed is impeccable. One must commend the Attorney-General of the Federation and all those who assisted the President, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, for the diligence applied.
This touches on political matters, which I prefer to steer clear of. However, if we must engage the logic of such concerns, we must also admit that virtually every Nigerian would wish to see his or her name on an ambassadorial list. Even you, in this interview, might find such an opportunity appealing. What truly matters is that those included are genuine citizens of Nigeria, many of whom have demonstrated a strong commitment and dedication to the nation’s progress.
Take, for instance, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode, Aminu Dalhatu, Senator Folashade Bent, Ita Enang, Reno Omokri, Chukwu Okocha and others on the list. You may disagree with their politics, but you cannot deny their visible engagement with national issues and their passion for Nigeria’s development. From that standpoint, I believe they will serve the country well.