Urgent need to halt Malami’s gubernatorial bid, by Kola Amzat

Bizarre and unfathomable things are happening in Nigeria-things that significantly disturb the earring and capable of diminishing our much-cherished status as giant of Africa.      

Things that are absurd to bequeath as legacy to generation now and those unborn! Things that would not advance the cause of our nation particularly, our long-time aspiration for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council! Things that would not project Nigeria’s image and brand to the international community as worthy of being associated with! Things that would continually influence the teeming youth to lose trust and confidence in Nigeria!

A case in point is that of the immediate past governor of CBN currently facing multiple criminal charges in Lagos and Abuja for issues bordering on alleged gross abuse of office, large scale procurement infractions and many other financial crimes. Already his many vast estates across the country, mind-boggling illegal asset acquisitions, as well as billions of liquid cash accumulated both in foreign and local currencies have also been a subject of interim and final forfeiture.    

Diezani Madueke didn’t fare better. Under ex-president-Goodluck Jonathan, she ran roughshod on petroleum ministry which superintends over the opaque and very controversial National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) between 2010 and 2015.

In fact, EFCC affirmed that $153 million was recovered in respect of JUST one of the several cases, which included final forfeiture of over 80 posh properties valued at $80 million, as well as jewelry worth several billion of naira.

There was also the celebrated case of Abdulrasheed Maina of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team whose 20 highbrow properties across the country were subject of final forfeiture. Saleh Mamman, a former Minister of Power who is serving a 75 year prison sentence for corruption and money laundering charges involving ₦33.8 billion recently had several of his assets span Abuja, Kaduna, Kano subject of interim and final forfeiture to the government.

However, the subject of this piece is the tragic case of the then young Kano-based Lawyer-Abubakar Malami who got compensated as Minister of Justice, Attorney General of the Federation simply because he opted to prosecute electoral cases for the deceased ex-president, Muhammud Buhari pro-bono and suddenly became a multi billionaire just after eight years in office, with vast estates, private & commercial properties, University and high profile private schools establishments, as well as several luxury goods-tremendous fortunes achieved through unlawful activities while in office as Minister.

The long list of this incredible fortunes includes hundreds of hectares of land along Birnin Kebbi-Jega road; high-profile commercial plazas across FCT, Abuja; 4/5 star hotels in all nooks & crannies of Abuja;

multi properties in Asokoro, Area 11, Maitama, filling stations; multi-faceted warehouses; shopping complexes; modern supermarkets; high-profile private schools; several printing presses; university; Oil & Gas concerns; vast gardens; mosques and many other properties that I couldn’t mention for want of space.

The good news however remains: the Federal High Court has granted the final forfeiture to EFCC after declaring that the Commission had established that most of the properties were acquired from the proceeds of unlawful activities. The total value of 48 properties forfeited worth a whopping ₦220 billion.  

Meanwhile, the final forfeiture order came after a long stretch of vigorous legal representation, cross examination and high-octane judicial battles between the respondent and government lawyers. Suffice to submit that, the judicial process took its full course. Therefore, there exists no doubt that as far as the legal proceedings is concerned, both parties were convinced that the judgment of the Federal High Court couldn’t have been otherwise.

Indeed, the court upheld the submission of EFCC that Malami was remunerated with a total sum of ₦89.7 million as salary between 2015 and 2023 whilst in office, with an average monthly payment of ₦962, 700/month.

He also received a severance package of ₦12.2 million at the end of his tenure in office. In addition, he got a total sum ₦253.6 million as estacodes for all official foreign trips conducted during his eight year stay in office, as contained in a letter written to the Chairman, CCB.

Consequently, the court ruled that the totality of sum received by the ex-AGF for the eight years his tenure endured was quite infinitesimal to stupendous fortunes he amassed while in office.       

At this juncture, isn’t it an auspicious time for Nigerians to question the rapacious and reckless manner of greed and avarice that propelled Malami to accumulate this unexplainable quantum of fortunes and wealth just within eight years in office?    

Sadly, it’s the same Abubakar Malami who the National Democratic Party (NDC) has selected to hoist its flag as the gubernatorial candidate in Kebbi state for the forthcoming general elections.     

How dare they! Treating Nigerian people with contempt, disrespect and disregard and with so much impunity and disdain!

Pertinent question: where are the Civil Liberty Organizations (CLO)? Where are the Civil Society Organizations (CSO)? Where are the Social Activists Groups? Where are Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Projects (SERAP)? They’re comfortable jumping at issues concerning the government and the NASS.

Why are they holding back on this issue? Why are they afraid to talk? This writer and millions of Nigerians are totally embarrassed that the Malami case has not attracted their attention and prompting? If this case hasn’t attracted their attention, which other case would? Must they wait till Malami emerges as governor before they move to initiate legal proceedings against him, which would obviously belated?

This is a defining moment that the aforementioned associations/bodies must stand up to be counted.  

Meanwhile, it’s in public domain that the same Malami practically misled the deceased ex-president-Muhammud Buhari on key policy issues that concerned economy, infrastructures, socio-political, foreign affairs and even security, with particular reference to grazing matter.

Nigerians vividly recollect how Malami disgraced dutiful and resourceful Ibrahim Magu out of office on account of his patriotic stance on 270 properties forfeited to the government. Those assets that Magu guarded jealousy have been shared to top government officials, EFCC chieftains and their Lawyers. Even though Magu was later vindicated, the deed has been done.

The ex-AGF was also culpable in attempting to quash the huge fines imposed on the Telecoms giant-MTN by NCC on issues bothering on the telecom company’s gross dis-service to millions of Nigerians.

Of course, Nigerians were oblivious of the ignoble role played by the Kebbi born Lawyer in re-absorbing the disgraced Pension Fund fraud kingpin-Abdulrashhed Maina into Federal Civil Service as acting Director.

Meanwhile, whether the 48 properties finally forfeited bothered on criminal activity or not, his frantic bid to ascend the governor of Kebbi state is abhorred, repugnant, dirty, clumsy, disturbing and fraudulent and therefore must be resisted by all well-meaning Nigerians.

Every legal means must be deployed by all relevant bodies to halt his ambition, as emergence would constitute a moral burden and ethical deficit to leadership.

If as AGF he amassed these humongous fortunes, he would be a monumental disaster as governor of Kebbi as he would attempt to appropriate the entire state, inheritance and treasury unto his estate.

This writer is also of deep conviction that it’s the defining time for NASS to seek to amend the Constitution with a view to preventing other Nigerians who might have or be in the mold of Malami to ever ascend to any public office in future.         

 Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB, FCTI, MBA, Bsc)

Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,

09077509348.