7th July, 2017
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has clarified reports that he disowned acting president Yemi Osinbajo over his statement that the Senate has no powers to confirm some nominees appointed by the presidency.
Malami in a statement said the president, and in this case, the acting president, is the presidency and therefore cannot be disowned by the presidency.
He said all matters relating to presidential appointments and nominations were strictly matters for the presidency to handle. ”They are not for the Federal Executive Council,” he added.
The AGF appealed to the media to take seriously its responsibility to inform the public honestly and accurately and refrain from distorting or sensationalizing the news, and to seek clarification when in doubt.
Read Malami’s full statement below:
RESPONSE TO DISTORTED REPORTING BY SOME MEDIA ORGANISATIONS ON PROCEEDINGS OF FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (FEC) PRESS BRIEFING
It has come to my notice that a number of media organisations have been distorting and misreporting the proceedings of yesterday’s (July 5, 2017) Federal Executive Council (FEC) press briefing, and suggesting that the Presidency ‘disowned’ the Acting President on a matter relating to a presidential nomination.
As the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, I would like to make it categorically clear that:
1.The President – and in this case the Acting President – is the Presidency, and therefore cannot be disowned by the Presidency.
2.All matters relating to Presidential Appointments and Nominations are strictly a matter for the Presidency to handle. They are not for the Federal Executive Council, and are therefore not discussed at FEC level. This was the point I made yesterday at the press briefing, and which was unfortunately distorted by the media.
I would like to appeal to the media to take seriously its responsibility to inform the public honestly and accurately, to refrain from distorting or sensationalizing the news, and to seek clarification when in doubt.
Abubakar Malami
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
July 6, 2017