The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Tuesday, cautioned Judges in the country to be wary of private persons seeking to scuttle government’s procurement procedures via spurious injunctions.
The AGF also urged the two institutions to reject attempts by manipulators to frustrate government.
Fagbemi gave the charge while delivering a paper entitled “Strengthening the Synergy between the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary under the Rule of Law – Executive Perspective” in Abuja at the hybrid refresher course for judges and Khadis.
This was contained in a Press release made available to Blueprint by the S A to the President on Communication & Publicity, Office of the AGF& Minister of Justice, Mr Kamarudeen Ogundele,
Chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, the event was held at the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja.
At the programme, Fagbemi said, “It is my firm submission that the courts must continue to reject any attempt to be manipulated or employed by any individual or entity for personal benefit. In this regard, situations where private persons seeking to scuttle the government’s procurement procedures as provided in the procurement laws or other governmental processes, by approaching the courts to acquire spurious injunctions, should be rejected by the courts.
“On the other hand, the judiciary has the responsibility to pronounce on government processes or action(s) that are not in line with the law or in the interest of the advancement of society, thereby serving as a tool for socio-economic advancement.”
While emphasising the principle of Separation of powers as a hallowed constitutional principle of the democratic government of Nigeria, the AGF added: ” the three arms of government must stay in their assigned tracks to avoid arbitrary excesses by any of the arms.
“The constitution clearly provides for checks and balances, the minister said the division of powers amongst the three arms of government is, however, not absolute,” he added.
He thereafter called for stronger synergy among the three arms of government for the betterment of the country.
“The need for synergy among the three arms of government cannot be over emphasised. All the arms of government must see themselves as partners in progress. Without the synergy and cooperation, the vision of our constitutional democracy is hardly achievable.
“Each arm must do all that is lawful to enhance the operation of government and no act must be done to undermine the vision of government and Nigeria as a democratic entity.
“The constitutional powers of the three arms of government overlap in some cases and each of them connects with the others at various points,” he explained.
