Attorney General of Lagos State

Last updated

Attorney General of Lagos State
Incumbent
Moyosore Onigbanjo
since 22 August 2019
Style Mr. Commissioner
(Informal)
The Honorable
(Formal)
Appointer Lagos State Governor nomination with House of Assembly confirmation
Term length 4 years
Formation1968;55 years ago (1968)

The Attorney General of Lagos State also known as Lagos State Commissioner for Justice is the head of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice. [1] [2] The officer's duty is to ensure that "the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced". [3] The Attorney General carries out the responsibilities of the office through the Ministry of Justice. [4] The Attorney General is appointed to a four-years term, with a maximum of two terms, by the Governor subject to the approval of the State House of Assembly. [5] [6] The incumbent Attorney General is Moyosore Onigbanjo appointed on 22 August 2019.

Contents

Statutory duties

By Section 195 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, “There shall be an Attorney-General for each State who shall be the Chief Law Officer of the State and a Commissioner for Justice of the government of that State pursuant to the above provision”. [7] Also the Attorney General shall be the Head the Ministry of Justice, charged with the responsibility to provide a legal services and support for local law enforcement in the state and acts as the chief counsel in state litigation. [8] In addition, the Attorney General Oversees law enforcement agencies. [9] [10] [11]

History

The office was established in 1968, just a year after Lagos State was founded. Since the establishment of the office, sixteen officials had served in that capacity including Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the current vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. [12] [13] [11] [14]

List of attorneys general

Source: Lagos State Ministry of Justice

Chief JusticeTerm
Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya 1968–1973
Tajudeen Bankole-Oki, SAN1973–1975
Prof. Alfred Babatunde Kasumu, SAN1975–1977
Chief Femi Alokolaro 1977–1979
Jide Oki 1979
Sanu Sobowale 1979–1982
Chief Femi Alokolaro 1982–1983
Airat Balogun 1984–1986
Eniola Fadayomi 1986–1990
Shafiu Alade Bashua 1990–1992
Yomi Oshikoya 1992–1994
Toyin Akerele Ayeni 1994–1996
Muyibat Wonuola Folami 1996–1999
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN1999–2007
Olasupo Shasore, SAN2007–2011
Adeola Rahman Ipaye 2011–2015
Mosediq Adeniji Kazeem 2015–2019
Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN22 August 2019 – present

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bola Tinubu</span> President of Nigeria since 2023

Chief Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu is a Nigerian politician who is the 16th and current president of Nigeria. He was the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007; and senator for Lagos West in the Third Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kayode Oladele</span> Nigerian politician

Kayode Oladele is a Nigerian human rights activist, lawyer and politician who was a member of the Nigerian House of Representatives representing Yewa North/Imeko-Afon Federal Constituency, Ogun State, from 2015–2019. He was the Chairman of the House of Representatives' Committee on Financial Crimes and member of the House Committees on Justice, Human Rights, Rules and Business, Environment, Healthcare Services and Agricultural Institutions. He was elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress on 11 April 2015. Prior to that, he was Chief of Staff, office of the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of Lagos State</span> Head of government of Lagos State in Nigeria

The governor of Lagos State is the head of government of Lagos State in Nigeria. The governor leads the executive branch of the Lagos State Government. This position places its holder in leadership of the state with command authority over the state affairs. The Governor is frequently described to be the number one citizen of the state. Article II of the Constitution of Nigeria vests the executive power of the state in the governor and charges him with the execution of state law, alongside the responsibility of appointing state executive, diplomatic, regulatory, and judicial officers subject to the approval of the Assembly members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yemi Osinbajo</span> Vice President of Nigeria from 2015 to 2023

Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo is a Nigerian lawyer, professor, and politician who served as the 14th vice president of Nigeria from 2015 to 2023. A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he previously served as Attorney General of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 and holds the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria. In April 2022, he announced his intention to run for the APC nomination for President of Nigeria in the 2023 presidential election. He was third in the APC presidential primaries held in June 2022 with a total of 235 votes from the delegates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Festus Keyamo</span> Nigerian lawyer and politician

Festus Egwarewa Keyamo SAN FCIArb is a Nigerian lawyer, columnist and human rights activist. In April 2018, Keyamo was appointed as the director of Strategic Communications of the 2019 re-election bid of President Buhari.

The Lagos State Civil Service consists of employees in Lagos State government agencies other than the military. Most employees under the service are career civil servants in the Lagos state ministries, progressing based on qualifications and seniority. The civil service is headed by Head of Service, a senior member of the state civil service appointed by the state Governor. The head of service of Lagos state civil service is Hakeem Muri-Okunola.

The 7th Lagos State House of Assembly was the legislative branch of the Lagos State Government inaugurated on 4 June 2011. The assembly ran its course till 3 June 2015. The assembly is unicameral with 40 representatives elected from each constituencies of the state. The Speaker of the 7th Legislative Assembly was Rt. Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji and the Deputy speaker was Hon. Musibau Kolawole Taiwo. The election of representative for the 8th legislative assembly was held on 28 April 2015.

The 6th Lagos State House of Assembly is the legislative branch of the Lagos State Government inaugurated on June 4, 2007 and the assembly ran its course till July 4, 2011. The assembly was unicameral with 41 representatives elected from each constituencies of the state. The Speaker of the 6th Legislative Assembly was Rt. Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji and the Deputy speaker was Hon. Bola Badmus Olujobi.

Ayotunde Adeyoola Phillips is a Nigerian Jurist and former Chief Judge of Lagos State.

Adeola Rahman Ipaye is a Nigerian lawyer who served as the deputy chief of staff to the president of Nigeria from 2015 to 2023. He was also attorney general and commissioner for justice in Lagos State from 2011 to 2015.

The Lagos State Judiciary is one of the three co-equal branches of the Lagos State Government organized under the Constitution of Nigeria and laws of Lagos State. The Chief Judges are appointed by the State Governor with the consent of the House of Assembly.

The Chief Judge of Lagos State is the head of the Lagos State Judiciary, the judicial branch of the Lagos State Government and the chief judge of the High Court of Lagos State. From 1967 to 1973, the title was called Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The appointment is often made by the Governor. "Section 271(1) of the Constitution provides that ‘The appointment of a person to the office of the Chief Judge of a State shall be made by the Governor of the State on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, subject to the confirmation of the appointment by the House of Assembly of the State,’".

Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, OFR, [CFR]18 November 1951) is a Nigerian Lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association and Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Chief Samuel Obakayode "Kayode" Eso, CON, CFR was a prominent Nigerian jurist. He served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie Obiano</span> Nigerian politician, banker and technocrat

Willie Obiano is a Nigerian politician, banker and technocrat. He was the fourth Governor of Anambra State from 17 March 2014 to 17 March 2022.

Lagos State Government is the government of Lagos State, concerned with the administration of the state ministries. The government consists of the executive, legislative and Judiciary. The government is headed by the Governor who is the policy-maker and often assisted by the commissioners and other civil servants of the state.

Michael Opeyemi Bamidele popularly known as MOB, is a Nigerian lawyer, human right activist, and politician who is currently serving as the majority leader of the Nigerian Senate since 2023. He has represented Ekiti Central senatorial district in the Nigerian Senate since 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Nigerian general election</span>

General elections were held in Nigeria on 23 February 2019 to elect the President, Vice President, House of Representatives and the Senate. The elections had initially been scheduled for 16 February, but the Electoral Commission postponed the vote by a week at 03:00 on the original polling day, citing logistical challenges in getting electoral materials to polling stations on time. In some places, the vote was delayed until 24 February due to electoral violence. Polling in some areas was subsequently delayed until 9 March, when voting was carried out alongside gubernatorial and state assembly elections.

Ben Akabueze is a Nigerian Chartered Accountant and the current Director General of the Budget office for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He served as the CEO of NAL Bank Plc and was two terms Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget with the Lagos State Government.

References

  1. ↑ "Lagos Rejects Court Decision on Environmental Sanitation, Articles - THISDAY LIVE". thisdaylive.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "Sanitation: Movement restriction still in force, says Lagos". The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Lagos Attorney General Defends Ban on Hijabs in Schools, Articles - THISDAY LIVE". thisdaylive.com. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Court Dismisses 'Deportation' Case against Lagos State, Articles - THISDAY LIVE". thisdaylive.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Fashola Swears in Atilade as Lagos Chief Judge, Articles - THISDAY LIVE". thisdaylive.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "Sanitation movement restriction still in force –Lagos". The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Lagos State Government". 23 April 2015. Archived from the original on 31 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "Court bars Lagos from privatising probate". The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Judiciary Workers Suspend Strike in Lagos, Articles - THISDAY LIVE". thisdaylive.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  10. ↑ "Review of Lagos State Criminal Law, inevitable - AG - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  11. 1 2 "How a Pentecostal law professor has helped reshape Nigerian politics". Washington Post. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "Meet Buhari's running mate, Prof Yemi Osinbajo - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  13. ↑ "Finally, Buhari settles for Tinubu ally, Yemi Osinbajo, as running mate - Premium Times Nigeria". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  14. ↑ Mwalimu, Charles (2005). The Nigerian Legal System. ISBN   9780820471266 . Retrieved 24 April 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.