The Supreme Court of Nigeria has barred a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa (SAN) from holding public office in the country for life.
The Supreme Court in a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun on December 10, 2021, affirmed a judgment of the Court of Appeal, Calabar division, which had earlier upheld a Federal High Court decision that barred the former Minister under late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration from occupying a public office in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that the Court of Appeal had on June 1, 2010, delivered a judgment through Justice A.F.A. Ademola who had ordered thus:
“A declaration is hereby made that the second Defendant undermined and subverted the rule of law, the due administration of justice and integrity of the judiciary in the letters of 8th January 2008 and 16th February 2009 written by him in the capacity of the Defendant.
“A declaration is hereby made that the second Defendant is not a competent, fit and proper person to hold office as the 1st Defendant having regards to the oaths of Allegiance and office.
“3. N50,000,000,00 exemplary damages is hereby awarded against the first and second Defendants in favour of the plaintiff.
“4. A perpetual injunction is hereby made restraining the second Defendant from occupying/holding the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and public offices in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Aondoakaa had in the case designated SC.939/2015 asked the Supreme Court to upturn the judgment delivered by the Appellate Court on September 3, 2015.
But the five-man judicial panel at the Supreme Court, which also awarded N2 million against the appellant in favour of the first respondent (Emmanuel Obot), were Justices Mary Peter-Odili, Kekere-Ekun, Mohammed Lawal Garba, Ibrahim Saulawa and Emmanuel Agim.
