In the build-up to the 2027 elections in Kebbi State, it is expected that the democratic process will attract scrutiny, debate, and even criticism. But what should never be normalized is the distortion of facts and the vilification of individuals through a one-sided narrative dressed in literary proverbs and innuendos. Ibrahim Jimo Laka’s recent article on Abubakar Malami (SAN) is an example of such an effort not a constructive critique, but a carefully packaged attempt at political character assassination.
Let me be clear: No public servant is beyond reproach. However, when criticism veers into selective amnesia, laced with personal bias and political undertones, it is important to respond with facts and context.
Malami’s Tenure: More Substance Than Scandal
Laka paints Malami’s eight-year service as Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice in bleak terms, yet conveniently omits the many constitutional reforms, international recoveries and institutional stabilizations recorded during that period.
Under Malami, Nigeria secured repatriation of billions of naira in looted assets, including the Abacha loot, which was transparently deployed to major infrastructure projects like the Second Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Abuja-Kano Road.
These are tangible legacies that Nigerians can see and benefit from not imagined scandals in newsprint.
Laka refers to legal fees paid in relation to the Abacha loot but ignores the fact that such arrangements were subjected to legal procedures and international protocols involving multiple jurisdictions. To reduce these complex legal processes to mere “scandal” is disingenuous at best.
Malabu Case: Legal Opinions, Not Conspiracies
On the Malabu Oil Prospecting License (OPL 245) saga, it is important to separate legal responsibility from media sensation.
Malami, as AGF, gave legal opinions not unilateral decisions. His role was advisory, based on facts available at the time and consistent with the national interest. Multiple international litigations related to the Malabu case have not resulted in any conviction against the Nigerian government.
If Malami’s advice created so-called “loopholes,” then why have courts not declared such advice unlawful?
We must stop criminalizing governance based on perceptions rather than outcomes. Malami followed due process and the relevant institutions acted within the law. That is how a democracy works.
Alleged Interference and Asset Auctions
The charge of “interference” in the work of anti-graft agencies like the EFCC and ICPC is a tired trope recycled for political effect. The AGF has constitutional powers to oversee prosecutions not as a meddler, but as the chief law officer of the federation. Where such powers are exercised, they are subject to checks by the judiciary. If any act was unlawful, it is the court’s duty to say so. No such court pronouncement exists against Malami.
On asset forfeiture and auctions, the Ministry of Justice under Malami initiated a process for proper guidelines and centralized coordination to end the chaotic and corrupt practices of the past.
That attempt at reform may have upset some entrenched interests, but it was necessary for transparency and accountability.
The Issue of Selective Justice
Laka accuses Malami of shielding allies and persecuting opponents. This is a sweeping statement without a shred of verifiable evidence. The judiciary handled all high-profile cases, including those involving Sowore, Dasuki and El-Zakzaky. The AGF does not command the police, nor does he jail anyone. If court orders were delayed, the responsible agencies should be held accountable not scapegoat the AGF’s office.
Personal Life and Public Service
Dragging Malami’s family into this discussion reflects desperation. Is it now a crime for a public servant’s child to have a dignified wedding? Should every successful lawyer’s family be investigated because of their lifestyle? Before public office, Malami was a thriving legal practitioner and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a title earned through decades of hard work and professional excellence. Let’s not allow envy to cloud judgment.
Malami and the Social Media Bill
On the proposed “anti-social media” legislation, Malami neither sponsored the bill nor dictated its content. It was a National Assembly initiative reflecting concerns about fake news and cyberbullying. While many disagreed with the bill and it was eventually dropped. It is intellectually dishonest to blame Malami for merely voicing support for responsible online conduct.
Leadership is About Courage and Capacity
It is interesting that Laka closes his piece with proverbs. But governance is not built on parables, it is built on courage, competence and constitutionalism.
Malami may not be a media darling, but his record shows a public servant who stood firm in turbulent times, took difficult decisions and advanced the rule of law within the constraints of a complex democracy.
Kebbi State needs a leader who understands legal and policy frameworks, who can interface confidently with federal and international bodies, and who has demonstrated the capacity to manage systems not just slogans. Abubakar Malami fits that description.
The electorate deserves honest conversations, not poetic smear campaigns. Let us debate the future of Kebbi with facts, not fables.
Bashir Adamu Zuru writes from Kaduna.
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Opinion