Senate separates office of Attorney General from Justice Minister

The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday voted to separate the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

The red chamber also granted approval for the establishment of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federal Government, as distinct entity from the Accountant-General of the Federation.

The Senate’s decision was taken at plenary while adopting the report of the Senate Committee on the Amendment of the 1999 Constitution, presented by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege.

Senators voted overwhelmingly ‘Yes’ with 86 votes, as against six ‘No’, for Nigeria to have the office of the AGF distinct from that of the Minister of Justice.

The same amendment for the AGF and Minister of Justice at the federal level is expected to cascade to the state level