Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN) has denied funding the alleged lawsuits aimed at further postponement of the elections.
In a statement, on Friday by his senior special assistant, P. T. Akper (SAN), the attorney general assured Nigerians that he is committed to the conduct of free and fair elections in the country.
The statement titled: “Attorney-General Adoke secretly funding anti-election lawsuits through cronies —Let the truth be told,” read:
“On March 4, when the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) was attending the high level segment of the 28th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, in Geneva Switzerland, ‘Sahara Reporters’published an article under the caption ‘Attorney General Adoke secretly funding anti-election lawsuit through cronies.’
“The article sought to portray the Attorney-General as the person actively working in concert with other lawyers (named and unnamed) to scuttle the forthcoming elections through the filing of frivolous lawsuits. What is even more preposterous was the assertion that ‘the Attorney General had received and was solely managing the disbursement of a war chest of N2 billion provided by President Jonathan to enable him to recruit a retinue of groups to file lawsuits aimed at further postponement of the elections, their termination, or the disqualification of Muhammadu Buhari, the main opposition candidate.’
“I wish to categorically state from my vantage position that these allegations are not only false but are designed to harass, distract and intimidate the Attorney-General from discharging his duties. Let Nigerians be assured that the Attorney-General of the Federation remains committed to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections and within the time frame clearly stipulated in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and the Electoral Act, as amended.
“Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke is very conscious of the ethical and professional demands of his high office and his constitutional responsibility as guardian of the constitution and has demonstrated this time and again in the discharge of his duties.”