March 17, (THEWILL) – The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said he won’t resign from office, noting that he will end his tenure gloriously by May 2023.
Malami spoke on Thursday in Abuja, during his keynote address at a conference organised by the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents.
The AGF debunked media reports that he had resigned from office, while he urged media practitioners to be factual in their reportage.
The justice minister, who also called for prosecution of journalists used by mischievous politicians, said, “It is high time that we enhanced media literacy for Nigerians to appreciate fact-checking and verification of information.
“Many who relied on some unprofessional information disseminators will be taken aback that the Malami that was claimed to have resigned as Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, was still seen in office discharging his functions including attending the Federal Executive Council meeting yesterday, granting interviews to journalists and still today declaring this conference open as the Attorney General of the Federation.
“There is naturally an end to everything. My tenure in office has not yet ended. I pray for a glorious end.”
Malami, 54, has been a prominent member of the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari since 2015.
He is said to be highly regarded by the President, who reportedly seeks his legal advice on major national matters. Buhari’s high estimation of Malami was confirmed last year when the President during an interview refused to “contradict his attorney general.”
Malami was the National Legal Adviser of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
He was actively involved in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, as the resource person to the Manifesto Drafting Sub-Committee of Inter Joint Party Merger Committees between the CPC, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).
In 2014, Malami contested for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress in Kebbi State, but stepped down during the party primaries in favour of Atiku Bagudu.