Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami yesterday said he never wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari asking him to suspend the use of the constitution.
In a statement by his spokesperson Umar Gwandu, the AGF asked Nigerians to disregard reports alleging that he wrote a secret memo to Buhari advising that Nigerians’ fundamental rights guaranteed under chapter IV of the Constitution be suspended due to insecurity.
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.
“The general public 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 tenant 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 recognised mandates in compliance with principles of transparency, openness and accountability.”
