Abubakar Malami, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, has condemned all six southwest governors for criticizing his role in the altercation between Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State Governor, and Abimbola Oyewole, a Chief Superintendent of Police.

Malami, in a statement issued on Wednesday, by Umar Gwandu, his spokesman, said he “takes exception” to the southwest governors’ statement.

The governors, under the aegis of the Southwest Governors Forum, on Wednesday, bashed Malami for his role in the events which led Oyewole to “disrespect” Sanwo-Olu in Magodo Estate Phase 2, Lagos.

“We condemn, in very clear terms, the role of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) in this act of gross moral turpitude,” they said.

READ ALSO: Southwest Governors Attack Malami Over Humiliation of Sanwo-Olu at Magodo Estate

Reacting, Malami said, “We see it as a vituperation of ulterior motives of some political class, who derived pleasure in dragging the name of Malami in the mud to achieve some sinister objectives.

“The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice takes exception to the southwest governors’ unjustifiable insinuation of impunity against the office of the Attorney General over the execution of a judgment of the Supreme Court.

“The role of the executive is, in this respect, simply to aide the maintenance of law and order in due compliance with rule of law arising from giving effect to the judgment of the apex court of the land.

Malami said the Supreme Court judgment mandating the Lagos State Government to give 549 plots of land to the Shangisha Landlords Association was delivered before he was appointed.

READ ALSO: ‘You Have No Business Being in My State’ — Sanwo-Olu, Police Officer’s Face-Off at Magodo Estate

“The judgment was a reaffirmation of the judgments of the Court of Appeal and High Court delivered on 31st December 1993,” he said.

“It is widely reported in the papers that the Lagos State Governor was quoted to have said, ‘I’ve spoken extensively with the Inspector-General of Police and the Honourable Attorney-General, and we’ve resolved all the issues.”’

Malami called on the state governors to “help unravel the circumstances preventing the Lagos State Government from enforcing the court order despite several attempts from 2012- 2015, as the so-called settlement initiative started in 2016.

“Some of the cardinal pillars of democratic government are the doctrines of separation of powers and obedience to the rule of law, inclusive of court orders,” the statement reads.

READ ALSO: Sanwo-Olu Knocks Police for Continued Presence at Magodo Estate

“It is a common knowledge that execution of the judgment and orders of courts of competent jurisdiction, and the court of last resort in the circumstances remains a cardinal component of the rule of law and the office of the Attorney-General wonders how maintenance of the law and orders in the course of execution of the judgment of the supreme can be adjudged by the imagination of the governors to be unruly.”