Inibehe Effiong slams Keyamo after saying dictionary meaning does not apply in law

Mr. Inibehe Effiong, a human rights lawyer, has criticised Festus Keyamo (SAN), the chief spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and Minister of State for Labour and Employment, for claiming that the dictionary definition did not apply to legal terms.

Recall that the APC spokesperson was featured on Channel TV’s Politics Today on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, where he spoke in defence of his principal, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was accused of being a drug lord, stating that the meaning of forfeiture as read by Mr. Seun Akinbaloye could not apply to the case.

Keyamo’s exact words were, “Dictionary definition is different from the legal definition.” “You cannot read a dictionary definition of legal terms.” “Those who know legal terms know that the dictionary definition doesn’t apply to legal terms.”

Speaking in contrast to the statements made by the APC spokesman, the human rights lawyer said that the meaning he (Keyamo) gave was inconsistent because dictionaries were integral to the interpretation of the law.

According to Mr. Effiong’s tweet, “This is absurd.” Every lawyer knows that dictionaries are part of the interpretative tools in law. For a lawyer to boldly dismiss forfeiture as “a storm in a teacup” is unbelievable. Forfeiture flows from proceedings where impropriety has been established. “Let’s not mislead people.”