The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) has expressed readiness to testify before the Ayo-Salami Panel investigating the suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), if invited to do so.
In a statement by his spokesman Umar Gwandu, on Wednesday in Abuja, said the minister was prepared to appear before the panel whenever he is invited.
Malami stated this at “The Morning Show” aired by Arise Television Wednesday morning.
While discussing the recent developments related to the Nigeria’s arbitration on the P&ID contract agreement, Malami stated: “Within the context of the rule of law, I have a responsibility as the Chief Law Officer of the Country as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to assist whatever investigation taking place locally or internationally”.
“For your information, I have signed and executed around eight witness statements before the Commercial Court in UK which translated to the victory we are celebrating today.
“So, the idea of testimony, the idea of appearance of the Office of the Attorney-General and indeed with the particular reference to Abubakar Malami before any panel, before any tribunal local and international for the purpose of supporting an investigation that will see to the establishment and unraveling the truth associated with an issue under consideration is not new. I will in no way exercise any restraints as per as honoring an invitation for the purpose of supporting any inquiry.
“So, if Ayo Salami Panel invites Abubakar Malami (SAN) as a person or the Attorney-General of the Federation, for any testimony or any clarification, for any examination or cross-examination for that matter, Abubakar Malami will definitely and gladly within the spirit and context of rule of law be there to testify and will submit myself to be cross-examined within the context of the rule of law”.
Malami said his position is to be submissive to the rule of law, maintaining that “the rule of law component requires that when called upon to clarify issues, be examined or cross-examined, Abubakar Malami will wholeheartedly be there and gladly cooperate with the inquiring institution”
The minister said that he has along the chain of arbitral process submitted to uncountable invitations and responded to uncountable requests to clarify issues and indeed executed uncountable witness statements for the purpose of putting the record straight and the case of Salami will certainly not be an exception.
He said that the successes recorded at the on-going P&ID arbitration case in the United Kingdom was a product of collective institutional collaboration and not attributable to a single individual personality.
“I wonder how one personality can claim victory associated with an institution. Neither the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation -that developed witnesses’ statements in support of the case that led to the victory nor Abubakar Malami, SAN (as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice) can in law and logic claim an exclusively personalized victory over a product of inter-governmental, inter-ministerial and multiple-agency collaborative venture,” he said.
According to Malami, in addition to Office of the Attorney-Genral of the Federation and Federal Ministry of Justice, Nigerian Police, Ministries of Information and Foreign Affairs, Central Bank of Nigeria and other related agencies played an extra ordinarily vital role in the processes and developments that culminated into this landmark victory for the county.
Malami said with the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government the era of impunity and compromised that were embedded into the government system was over and the new culture of uncompromising stance for the public interest has come to stay.
The Minister who described the successes recorded by the Nigeria government in the recent UK court judgment on P&ID issue as unprecedented said investigations are ongoing and all those who played roles in the sham called contract will be made to face the wrath of the law.
Malami said the federal government was working assiduously to come out with National Arbitration Policy.
“It is our intention to look at the existing legislations, possibility of enhancing them for the purpose of establishing the national interest as the major enabler of, perhaps, amendment to the existing legislations if the need for doing so arises.
“We are not ruling out the possibility of bringing about Executive Orders to compliment same if the need arises. So, indeed we are looking at the possibility of having in place effective legal framework, national policy and associated legislations that will assist the process,” Malami said.
