President Muhammadu Buhari had on March 25 approved the appointment of Beatrice Agba as Solicitor-General of the Federation, nine months after the exit of Adedayo Akpata who retired in June 2021.
Mrs Agba, formally director Legal at the Ministry of Interior, is the wife of the Minister of State for Power, Goddy Agba.
Insiders said the president was misled into approving her appointment against the established precedent and practice of appointment into the office.
Based on precedence and practice, the Attorney-General of the Federation is responsible for recommending a qualified public servant to the president for appointment as the solicitor-general.
The last four substantive solicitor-generals – Professor Ignatius Ayua, Abdullahi Yola, Taiwo Abidogun and Adedayo Akpata – were all appointed on the direct recommendations of a sitting Attorney-General and minister of Justice.
“These four recent solicitor-generals were all appointed on direct recommendations of the Attorney Generals of their time,” according to a source.
Yhe Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, wrote to the president, recommending a qualified director in the justice ministry to Mr Buhari for appointment as the substantive solicitor-general.
But five months after the recommendation, the process was reportedly hijacked by some vested interests.
“They have usurped the powers of the Attorney General,”
Mr Malami’s letter, with reference number HAGF/SH/2021/Vol.I/37, reads in parts: “Your Excellency, the need to make such recommendation and for you to consider and exercise the discretion to approve such appointment are consistent with your powers as enshrined in Section 171 (2) (D) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.”
