A legal practitioner Eze Onyekwere has called on the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, to allow the law to take its full course over the Paris Club refund.
The minister had claimed the state governors have no basis for complaining about the Paris Club refund deductions paid to consultants they hired.
“The Governor’s forum comprising of all the governors sat down commonly agreed on the engagement of a consultant to provide certain services for them relating to the recovery of the Paris Club,” Malami had said.
But in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, the legal practitioner said Malami should avoid overreaching.
“If we are discussing the rule of law, I believe the Honourable Attorney General should allow that process to run to its conclusion so that you don’t overreach whatever information or decision of the court would be,” he said during the show.
He wondered if the minister has any special interest in the case, describing Malami’s interest as spurious. According to him, while states are struggling to stay afloat financially, Malami’s comments is worrisome.
“The passion with which the minister of justice is pursuing the payment of this sum seems to suggest that there is an interest beyond public interest because the Attorney-General is a defender of the public interest,” Mr Onyekwere added.
“What is the public interest involved in this at a time when most of these states are unable to pay workers their salaries, retirees their pensions or gratuities, or fund even minimal capital expenditure? Did the consultants recruit the Honourable Attorney-General as their counsel?”
The Lead Director of the Centre for Social Justice questioned the capacity of the consultants, and asked: “whose interest is the Honourable Attorney General serving: the public or the interest of a few consultants?”