Kanu Godwin Agabi

Kanu Godwin Agabi

Minister of Justice of Nigeria
In office June 1999 – January 2000
Preceded by	Abdullahi Ibrahim
Succeeded by	Bola Ige
Minister of Solid Minerals Development
In office January 2000 – 2002
Preceded by	Musa Gwadabe
Minister of Justice of Nigeria
In office 2002–2003
Preceded by	Bola Ige
Succeeded by	Bayo Ojo

Kanu Godwin Agabi, SAN, is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who was a National Senator, and was twice Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the federation during the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo.

Kanu was appointed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria on 15 September 1997.^[1] In the April 1999 elections, Kanu ran for governor of Cross River State, but was defeated by Donald Duke. He was said to be a candidate for the same position in the 2003 elections.^[2]

Minister of Justice

In March 2002, Kanu wrote in a letter to Nigerian state governors that the application of strict Islamic or Sharia law was unconstitutional, since some judgments passed under Sharia discriminated against Muslims.^[3] That month, Amina Lawal, a young Nigerian woman accused of giving birth to a child out of wedlock was sentenced to death by stoning, a punishment that was confirmed in August 2002 by a Shari'ah court of appeals in Funtua, Katsina State. Kanu came under pressure from Amnesty International to abolish the death penalty in Nigeria.^[4]

In May 2003, the Attorney General urged a Federal High Court in Abuja to order the arrest of the National Assembly leadership, and to imprison them for contempt of the court. He appealed to the court to set aside the anti-graft bill which the National Assembly had passed into law despite a presidential veto.^[5]

Later career

In June 2007, Kanu represented the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in a suit launched by General Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), seeking to jail the INEC Chairman Professor Maurice Iwu for refusing to allow Buhari's lawyers access to electoral materials.^[6]

In May 2009, Kanu was counsel for the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Nicholas Ugbane, who had been charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of complicity in defrauding the government of about N5.2 billion earmarked for rural electrification.^[7]

References

↑ "SENIOR ADVOCATES OF NIGERIA" (PDF). The Nigerian Law Guru. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
↑ Joseph Ushigiale (4 October 2002). "Cross River: As the 2003 Battle Rages". ThisDay. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
↑ "NIGERIA: Justice minister says Sharia against constitution" (PDF). IAW Newsletter. International Alliance of Women. March–April 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
↑ "Death by Stoning Upheld in the Case of Nigerian Woman Amina Lawal". EXODUS On-line. 21 August 2002. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
↑ "The Revenge of Aremu!:Agabi Wants Anyim, Na'Abba Imprisoned". BNW News. 15 May 2003. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
↑ Funso Muraina (15 June 2007). "Contempt - Court Rules On Iwu June 21". ThisDay. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
↑ Lemmy Ughegbe (19 May 2009). "Court remands Ugbane, Elumelu others in Kuje Prison". Guardian. Retrieved 13 February 2010.

Ministers of Justice of Nigeria

Richard Akinjide (1979-1983)
Chike Offodile (1984-1985)
Bola Ajibola (1985-1991)
Clement Akpamgbo (1991-1993)
[ Olu Onagoruwa] Nov 1993- Sept 1994
Michael Ashikodi Agbamuche (Sept 1994-1997)
Abdullahi Ibrahim (1997-1999)
Kanu Agabi (Jun 1999 - Jan 1999)
Bola Ige (Jan 2000–2002)
Kanu Agabi (2002–2003)
Bayo Ojo (2003-2007)
Michael Aondoakaa (July 2007 - February 2010)
Adetokunbo Kayode (February 2010 - March 2010)
Mohammed Bello Adoke (April 2010 - present)

Cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo 1999–2003

Vice President	Atiku Abubakar (1999–2007)

Agriculture	Sani Daura (June 1999–2000) Hassan Adamu (2000–January 2001) Adamu Bello (February 2001–2007)

Aviation	Olusegun Agagu (May 1999–February 2001) Kema Chikwe (February 2001–May 2003)

Commerce	Mustapha Bello (June 1999–2002) Precious Ngelale (–May 2003)

Communications	Mohammed Arzika (June 1999–June 2001) Haliru Mohammed Bello (June 2001–May 2003)

Co-operation and Integration in Africa	Jerry Gana (May 1999–)

Defence	Theophilus Danjuma (June 1999–2003)

Education	Tunde Adeniran (June 1999–February 2001) Babalola Borishade (February 2001–)

Environment (Later + Housing)	Hassan Adamu (June 1999–2000) Sani Daura (2000–January 2001) Mohammed Kabir Said (February 2001–)

FCT Administration	Ibrahim Bunu (June 1999–February 2001) Mohammed Abba Gana (February 2001–)

Finance	Adamu Ciroma (June 1999–2003)

Foreign Affairs	Sule Lamido (June 1999–2003)

Health	Tim Menakaya (June 1999–February 2001) ABC Nwosu (February 2001–2003)

Industries	Iyorchia Ayu (Jun 1999–2000) Stephen Akiga (2000–January 2001) Kolawole Babalola Jamodu (February 2001–May 2003)

Information and National Orientation	Dapo Sarumi (June 1999–January 2001) Jerry Gana (February 2001–)

Internal Affairs	Sunday Afolabi (June 1999 -) Mohammed Shata (–May 2003)

Justice (Attorney General)	Kanu Agabi (Jun 1999–Jan 2000) Bola Ige (Jan 2000–2002) Kanu Agabi (2002–2003)

Labour, Employment and Productivity	Alabo Graham-Douglas (June 1999–July 2000) Musa Gwadabe

Mines and Steel Development (Solid Minerals)	Musa Gwadabe (June 1999–) Kanu Agabi

Police Affairs	David Jemibewon (June 1999–2000) Stephen Akiga (February 2001–)

Power and Steel	Bola Ige (June 1999–Jan 2000) Segun Agagu

Science and Technology	Ebitimi Banijo (June 1999–) Turner Isoun

Sports and Social Development	Damishi Sango (June 1999–February 2001) Ishaya Mark Aku (February 2001–May 2002) Stephen Akiga (May 2002–May 2003)

Tourism, Culture and National Orientation	Ojo Maduekwe (June 1999–July 2000) Alabo Graham-Douglas (July 2000–January 2001) Boma Jack (February 2001–)

Transport	Kema Chikwe (June 1999–February 2001) Ojo Maduekwe (February 2001–2003)

Water Resources	Mohammed Kaliel (June 1999–June 2001) Muktar Shagari (June 2001–May 2003)

Women and Youth Development	Aishat Ismail

Works and Housing	Tony Anenih (June 1999–2003)

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