Beatrice Gondyi
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has responded to the Kebbi State Government’s criticism of his governorship ambition, advising the state executive to focus on governance rather than reacting to his statements.
In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, and released a few hours ago on Sunday, Malami said: “Every time I present verifiable facts about the suffering of our people, the Kebbi Government catches a cold.
My advice to them is simple: stop catching a cold every time I sneeze. Build schools, equip hospitals, secure farmlands – and there will be nothing to react to.”
The former AGF’s response came after the Kebbi State Government issued a statement on Sunday attacking his credibility and accusing him of political hypocrisy .
On Saturday, May 9, 2026, Malami picked the governorship nomination form of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declaring a “state of emergency on misgovernance” in Kebbi State.
In his declaration, he cited worsening insecurity, abject poverty, educational decline, and economic hardships as reasons for his ambition .
Malami has been facing multiple prosecutions. He and his wife, Asabe Bashir, and son, Abdulaziz Malami, are being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N8.7 billion money laundering case.
The EFCC alleges they conspired to launder funds through bank accounts and companies linked to the Malami family between 2015 and 2025, using the proceeds to acquire properties in Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi states .
Additionally, the Department of State Services (DSS) has filed an amended five-count charge against Malami and his son bordering on alleged illegal possession of firearms and preparation to commit acts of terrorism.
The charge relates to the alleged possession of a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 live Redstar AAA cartridges, and 27 expended cartridges without a license in December 2025 at Birnin Kebbi . Both defendants pleaded not guilty, and trial has been fixed for May 26 and June 16, 2026 .
Malami regained his freedom from a custodial centre in Abuja in mid-March 2026 after several weeks in detention . He has since vowed “no retreat, no surrender” in his political struggle, blaming his legal travails on his political choices .
Earlier on Sunday, the Kebbi State Government, through Governor Nasir Idris’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yahaya Sarki, issued a statement accusing Malami of presenting “a litany of falsehoods” .
The government argued that many of the challenges highlighted by Malami became deeply rooted during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, in which Malami served as Attorney-General.
It accused former federal officials of exploiting public trust for personal enrichment instead of addressing the country’s socio-economic and security problems .
The government also accused Malami of being “a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” questioning how a former top government official could now present himself as a reformer .
Defending Governor Nasir Idris’s administration, the government cited achievements since 2023, including construction of thousands of classrooms, recruitment of over 2,000 teachers, rehabilitation of all 31 general hospitals across the state, and ongoing security improvements .
However, in the statement signed by Doka, Malami said the government had not contested any of the figures he presented. He cited statistics including that 67.6 per cent of children aged 6 to 15 are out of school in Kebbi, 88 per cent of children live in multidimensional poverty, and 608 severely malnourished child deaths were recorded between January and September 2025 according to the Kebbi State Nutrition Office.
Malami also said Kebbi State has received substantial federal allocations in the past three years. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Kebbi received ₦120.72 billion from FAAC between January and August 2025 alone . Malami argued that despite these resources, there is no visible transformation in school enrolment, healthcare delivery, or security of farmlands.
“The government cannot explain where the money went. Instead of showing us new schools, functioning hospitals, or safe roads, they issue press releases attacking me,” Malami said.
He said his focus remains on security, public education, healthcare delivery, agriculture, and youth employment.
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