Kebbi govt fires back at Malami over 2027 governorship comments

The Kebbi State Government has criticised former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, over his decision to join the 2027 governorship race, accusing him of misrepresenting the state’s condition and ignoring his role in past national challenges.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Nasir Idris, Yahaya Sarki, the government said Malami’s governorship ambition would ordinarily not warrant a response, but noted that his comments about the state could not go unanswered.

The government said it welcomed his ambition “if only for its nuisance value,” while accusing the former minister of relying on “falsehoods” to justify his entry into the race.

The statement was a response to recent remarks by Malami in which he cited insecurity, poverty, poor education and economic hardship as reasons for seeking the governorship seat.

According to the state government, the former AGF failed to acknowledge that many of the issues he highlighted worsened during the period he served in the Federal Government.

It alleged that people who occupied influential positions in Abuja at the time contributed significantly to the country’s present socio-economic and security problems.

“The insecurity, poverty, educational collapse and economic hardship became deeply entrenched and widespread largely as a result of mismanagement and misguided priorities,” the statement said.

The government further accused Malami and some former public officials of focusing more on personal enrichment than governance, alleging that they exploited public trust for private gain while in office.

It also claimed that by the end of their tenure, Nigeria was facing severe governance and humanitarian challenges fuelled by policy inconsistencies, corruption and poor management of public resources.

Responding specifically to Malami’s comments on education, healthcare and insecurity in Kebbi, the state government maintained that many of the problems he referenced were inherited by the current administration in 2023.

The statement also dismissed Malami’s reported promise to declare a state of emergency on governance if elected governor, describing the proposal as contradictory.

“How can one of the principal architects of our current misfortune credibly present himself as the man to fix it?” the government asked.

Defending the performance of Governor Idris’ administration, the government highlighted ongoing interventions in education, healthcare, agriculture, road construction and security.

It stated that thousands of classrooms had been constructed and renovated across the state, while new schools and teaching materials had also been provided.

According to the statement, the administration also recruited 2,000 teachers and introduced capacity-building programmes for education workers.

In the health sector, the government said rehabilitation work was ongoing in all 31 general hospitals across the state, while 21 primary healthcare centres were also being upgraded.

It added that medical facilities were being equipped with modern tools and equipment, citing ongoing improvements at Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital in Birnin Kebbi.

The government further claimed that reforms in the remuneration of medical personnel had helped reverse the departure of doctors from the state, with more health workers now willing to work in Kebbi.

On insecurity, the administration accused Malami of remaining silent while banditry and terrorism escalated during his tenure as Attorney-General of the Federation.

The statement concluded that the current administration inherited a weakened system and insisted it remains focused on reforms and rebuilding critical sectors across the state.