A recent statement credited to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), suggesting that some governors and individuals could be tried for treason for opposing the modalities for federal government’s currency notes’ swap, has been condemned as sheer political rascality.
Malami was on Friday taken to the cleaners by the Convener/National Coordinator of Social Rehabilitation Gruppe (SRG), Dr. Marindoti Oludare, who expressed reservations about the competence of the minister.
The Attorney General, had while speaking with journalists in Abuja, said the fate of some state governors and individuals being investigated for alleged treasonable utterances over the currency swap would be determined by the security agencies involved.
Some governors led by Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State had openly opposed the President Muhammadu Buhari naira swap policy, asking their citizens not to comply with the expiration of the legality of the old N500 and N1,000 notes.
Malami, speaking for the federal government, thereafter said he noted certain undertones of treason in some of the utterances, and that investigation for treasonable offence could not be ruled out.
He also said that the relevant security agencies would determine if there will be the need for further action.
But reacting, Oludare, a US-based Nigerian medical doctor and socio-political activist, replied that “Malami does not even know that Buhari is not the government”.
He noted that Treason is a crime against the state and not just having to disagree with the President’s policy.
Expressing disappointment with what he described as “poor intelligence quotient in the statement credited to the Minister”, Oludare lamented that most political players at the federal level had drifted away from the fact that Nigeria practices federalism in a democracy, and not dictatorship.
“That statement is political rascality by a rouge administration that should be ashame of their shambolic, unintelligent performance, but is trying tooth and nail to plunge the nation into a Constitutional crisis
“The governors, like the President, have immunity; so what was Malami insinuating?” Oludare wondered.
The medic cum activist further noted that that AG stating that “the fate of some state governors and individuals being investigated for alleged treasonable utterances over the currency swap will be determined by the security agencies involved” showed he is no respecter of the rule of law and he should have his bar membership reviewed.
“Apart from the fact that governors in Nigeria have immunity, the fate of all Nigerians in a constitutional democracy is determined by the Court of law, not any security agency.
“Does anyone wonder why a man with such a mindset failed to enforce the ruling of the Supreme Court? This is because he believes Might is Right.
“The fact that he (Malami) does not even know that it is his duty as a the attorney general to bring charges shows he either has his priorities mixed up or he is just in the habit of reneging his responsibilities.
“Whatever the case may be, he has shown that he is a misfit for the job of the top prosecutor of the land and explains the reason behind this administration’s incessant rascality.
“So APC should consider excommunicating the president and his cronies from the party as a clear statement disowning their undemocratic ways once this whole episode is over,” Oludare appraised.
He also lamented, stating, “We run a tripartite form of government that includes the executive, legislative and judicial arms. It is the Executive that has failed to obey the provisions of Section 230 of the Nigerian Constitution by disobeying the Supreme Court order.”