Last week’s gift of over 30 Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) cars by Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubabakar Malami (SAN) to the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi State has continued to raise some dust.
Malami, who also declared his intention to contest the Kebbi State governorship election at the state APC stakeholders meeting at Birnin Kebbi is among the embattled appointees of President Muhammadu Buhari, who are being called upon to resign and face their election challenges, following the provision of Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act 2022-05-03.
Others include the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi.
Reacting to the gift, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria(HURIWA) on Tuesday, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, who allegedly distributed the over 200 exotic SUV cars 2023:
APC cannot win CRS governorship election unless…, Sen. Owan Eno warns Sen. Owan Malami HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said it was illegal enough that Malami declared his ambition to succeed Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi in May 2023,
without resigning his position as a minister according to the Electoral Act. This is even as the minister has stated that the car gifts came from his friends A statement issued on Tuesday by one of Malami’s aides, Umar Gwandu, said the minister’s friends also supported his governorship ambition with N135m.
Gwandu said the friends of his principal gifted the vehicles to “long-term workers in the Khadimiyya Foundation, “adding that the minister has been one of the stakeholders of the non[1]governmental organisation known as the Khadimiyya Foundation for Social Justice and Development Initiative which is based in Kebbi.
In his statement, Gwandu said, “It is abundantly clear that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN has teaming supporters from home and beyond.
“This has been demonstrated not only by the calls from far and near for him to vie for the Kebbi gubernatorial seat in the forthcoming election but also by donations from friends,
associates and supporters of N135m. “The recent donation of N135m has opened doors for donations and support of many items including vehicles by well-wishers. “The story attributing vehicle distribution to Malami was mischievous and misconstrued information.
It was friends and associates of Malami who donated and distributed vehicles to long term workers in the Khadimiyya Foundation,” Gwandu said.
But HURIWA described as untenable and diversionary Malami’s denial that it was his friends and associates who donated and distributed the vehicles, just as the rights group challenged the Federal Attorney General and Minister of Justice to publish the list of his friends that donated those cars as he reportedly claimed and also furnish Nigerians with the receipts of purchases of the vehicles so Nigerians from all over the world can easily make an inquiry from the sellers if they are overseas.
HURIWA said it was relying on the Freedom Of Information Act to make the demand public. “The excuse of the AGF through his aide is the same ambiguous and one-sided strategy that all politicians use during campaigns.
“They use phantom groups as an alleged shield to divert what is alleged to be ill-gotten money and fund campaign expenses, as corroborated by Transparency International recently which raised the alarm that support groups use stolen funds to purchase exotic cars for party delegates and party forms for politicians.
“It is very suspicious that the so[1]called chief law officer who has been in charge of the recovery of foreign loot including those of the late Sani Abacha and James Ibori is involved in this bogus donation of cars to party delegates even remotely through his affiliates and friends.