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.
He 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 (not by The PUNCH) that he had resigned from office, while he urged media practitioners to be factual in their reportage.
Malami said, “It is high time that we enhance 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.”
The justice minister also called for the prosecution of journalists used by mischievous politicians.
He said, “With the 2023 General Election approaching, I hope this conference will address the practice where journalists would be conscripted by agents of destruction to spread false information about personalities and issues. Unprofessional media practitioners have been reporting untrue and fabricated information against public officeholders.
“There has to consequences for the conduct of the journalists that offer themselves to conscription by agents of destruction that make it their stock in trade to spread fake information about personalities and issues. Effective legislative framework may be a considerable option.”
Malami, 54, has been a prominent member of the cabinet of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), 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”.
