The Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has felicitated the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN on his assumption of office, calling him a round peg in a round hole.
It said the resolve of President Bola Tinubu to pick Fagbemi as the nation’s legal officer transcended mere sentiment and political consideration but on account of professionalism, which defined his many accomplishments in the bar.
This was contained in a congratulatory message issued by the Chairman, Kwara State Council of NUJ, Abdullateef Ahmed and the Secretary, Omotayo Ayanda, which was made available to Journalists in Ilorin.
The NUJ recalled that Fagbemi, a frontline legal luminary, who made history with his attainment of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) within a decade of his call to the Nigeria Bar, deserved to be appointed.
The union noted that “he has over the years, maintained impeccable records of honesty, integrity, discipline, modesty and philanthropy, thus standing him out among his peers in the legal profession.”
Acknowledging that Fagbemi has been widely reputed for his communal development effort and countless humanitarian services, the NUJ urged the Minister of Justice to work with the like minds to translate the lofty vision of President Tinubu to reality.
The union implored Fagbemi who is an Ijagbo-born prince in Kwara State, to quickly settle down and begin work on the reform of the nation’s criminal justice system, especially Administration of Criminal Justice Act (AJCA) to suit and meet the contemporary challenges.
It said; “The choice of Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice is not only noble but a decision well taken, for he is a distinguished legal man with a catalogue of accomplishments.
“As a union, we have no doubt whatsoever that Prince Fagbemi will bring his wealth of experience to bear and work with tenacity of purpose to realise the vision of President Tinubu, particularly his desire to reform the nation’s judicial sector for optimum performance.”
“With his unimpeachable character, integrity and honesty, NUJ has implicit confidence that the Ijagbo-born prince cum legal luminary would not only be a pacesetter but a record breaker in a manner that would restore the trust of the downtrodden masses in the judiciary as the bastion of hope for the hopeless,” the statement partly read.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
