3 weeks ago
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In this interview, Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, reflects connected his 2 years successful office.
In a wide-ranging discussion, helium speaks connected the contempt lawsuit against the National Assembly, the betterment of N1.5 cardinal successful taxes, high-profile prosecutions, the combat against onshore grabbing and quality trafficking, and the aboriginal of ineligible reforms successful Africa’s astir populous city-state.
By Henry Ojelu & Mozeedat Taiwo
Two years person gone by since you were appointed Lagos State Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice. Looking back, however bash you consciousness astir the travel truthful far?
The travel has been some challenging and rewarding. When Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu appointed maine successful 2023 and I was confirmed by the House of Assembly, I was afloat alert of the tremendous expectations resting connected this office. Lagos is not conscionable different state—it is the economical hub of Nigeria and West Africa, a spot wherever the demands connected governance and justness are peculiarly high.
These past 2 years person been astir repositioning the Ministry of Justice to conscionable those demands. We person worked to amended work delivery, velocity up entree to justice, fortify fiscal governance, and grow reforms successful some civilian and transgression justice. Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) crossed the authorities present bask faster, much businesslike ineligible advisory services, improved declaration statement processing, and enhanced entree to justice. Of course, determination person been challenges, but the achievements truthful acold springiness maine assurance that we are moving successful the close direction.
One of the issues that has generated nationalist statement is the lottery dispute. Can you explicate wherefore Lagos is going to tribunal against the National Assembly?
The Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgement that lotteries and gaming are residual matters for states, not the Federal Government. That judgement was historical due to the fact that it clarified the law powers of states to modulate lotteries and gaming activities wrong their territories. It besides secured Lagos’ close to make gross from specified activities, which is important for our fiscal independence.
Despite this wide decision, the House of Representatives precocious passed a Central Gaming Bill seeking to enforce national power implicit lotteries. This is unconstitutional and amounts to undermining the authorization of the Supreme Court. We have, therefore, approached the tribunal again to initiate contempt proceedings against the National Assembly, successful peculiar the House of Representatives.
The rule is simple: each authorities successful Nigeria are bound by decisions of the Supreme Court. Lagos volition not fold its arms and ticker law rights being eroded. This is not conscionable astir lotteries; it is astir protecting fiscal federalism and ensuring that nary level of authorities rides roughshod implicit another.
Some mightiness accidental Lagos is heading into a confrontation with the national legislature. What bash you accidental to that?
This is not astir confrontation for its ain sake. It is astir defending the Constitution and the regularisation of law. Lagos believes successful cooperative federalism, but that practice indispensable respect law boundaries. It is near for the Senate successful the workout of its legislative powerfulness to restrict the exertion of the Central Gaming Bill to the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
If the apex tribunal has spoken, each persons and authorities, including the National Assembly, indispensable comply. The existent information is successful allowing a precedent wherever Supreme Court judgement is ignored. That would undermine ideology itself.
Beyond lotteries, gross betterment seems to beryllium a beardown absorption of your administration. What has been achieved?
Strengthening the regularisation of instrumentality successful fiscal governance was a apical priority. We established Revenue Courts astatine some High Court and Magistrate levels, arsenic good arsenic a Revenue Recovery Unit successful the Ministry. This has started to output tangible results. Many companies that owed ample sums person responded to the pre-action protocol notices served connected them. One notable illustration is outgo of N1.5 cardinal successful outstanding taxes by a commercialized bank. Several others person entered into colony arrangements. This shows that our approach—firm but fair—works. We are not retired to witch-hunt businesses, but gross lawfully owed to Lagos State indispensable beryllium collected to enable...
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