Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) has been criticized by the Citizens Alliance for Rule of Law and Justice (CARoLJ), a civic watchdog group, for his recent criticism of the Bola Tinubu administration. The group describes Malami’s defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as an act of “political desperation dressed in borrowed morality.”
The CARoLJ said in a statement released in Abuja on Sunday and signed by Dr. Hamzat Tunde Ayoola, the group’s president, that Malami’s accusations that the current government is ignoring security and causing poverty in Nigeria are not only ironic but also gravely offensive to the intelligence of Nigerians who experienced his time of constitutional vandalism and legal impunity.
One of the darkest eras in Nigerian legal history was ruled over by Abubakar Malami. Hearing him talk about justice, equity, and national regeneration now is like listening to a man trying to hide a history of blatant abuse of state authority, shielding of corrupt political elites, and disregard for court decisions, Dr. Ayoola added.
Malami, who was the Justice Minister from 2015 to 2023, declared his official defection to the ADC on Wednesday, saying the party provides a coalition to “rescue Nigeria from collapse.” He denounced the economic hardship and insecurity, especially in northern Nigeria, and charged that the APC-led government was putting publicity ahead of governance.
Citing a lengthy history of policy failures, compromised prosecutions, and judicial sabotage throughout his tenure in office, CARoLJ stated Malami’s newfound sympathy for the suffering of the country was “both cynical and dishonest.”
Under Malami, the Federal Ministry of Justice turned into a weapon against the weak and a political shelter for the dishonest. He claimed, “He continuously disregarded legitimate court decisions, obstructed historic anti-corruption trials, and oversaw a legal system that progressively favored the wealthy at the expense of the populace.”
The organization listed a number of instances in which Malami allegedly permitted impunity, including the contentious 2017 restoration of Abdulrasheed Maina, the former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team. Maina was smuggled back into the civil service while on trial for huge pension theft, allegedly with Malami’s approval and knowledge.
Malami owes Nigerians an explanation for the promotion and reinstatement of a wanted criminal who was accused of corruption. He stated that the scandal alone should bar him from holding any public office in the future.
The organization also criticized Malami’s involvement in the contentious presidential pardon of two former governors who had been imprisoned for embezzlement of public funds: Jolly Nyame of Taraba State and Joshua Dariye of Plateau State. President Muhammadu Buhari issued the pardon in 2022, and civil society organizations strongly denounced it. Malami’s ministry handled the process.
Malami assisted in getting pardon for those found guilty of stealing billions of dollars, while honorable Nigerians were imprisoned for small-time theft. He can no longer act as a champion for the underprivileged.
Malami was also accused by CARoLJ of undermining Nigeria’s anti-corruption initiatives by giving rash legal advice, dropping cases too soon, and persistently interfering with the work of organizations like the EFCC and ICPC.
Read Also: Mop-Up Exam Results Out as JAMB Targets Exam Cheats with New Measures
The civic organization went on to list a number of significant corruption cases that were either mysteriously dropped or handled poorly under Malami’s direction. These cases included the well-known case of Diezani Alison-Madueke, the former Petroleum Minister, and the contentious handling of oil contracts involving foreign interests, which resulted in settlements and court losses that cost Nigeria billions of dollars.
“Under Malami’s leadership, a number of historic corruption cases fell apart—not for lack of evidence, but rather due to tainted prosecution and political meddling.” Malami oversaw the government’s numerous overseas legal failures, including the P&ID arbitration case. This nation suffered greatly as a result of his shoddy legal strategy and politicization of private documents. “Let’s not overlook Diezani’s case,” Ayoola stated.
The group cautioned voters not to fall for what it dubbed Malami’s “reinvention strategy,” characterizing his defection to the ADC as “a soft launch of his long-suspected ambition to contest the 2027 governorship election in Kebbi State.”
“” Abubakar Malami’s decision to desert to the ADC is a planned attempt at rebranding by a guy who is trying to distance himself from the shadow of his own legacy, not a patriotic gesture. Nigerians must not be misled. You cannot claim to be the face of national rescue after engaging in years of constitutional sabotage, disobeying court rulings, and shielding looters. Ayoola declared, “Malami is joining the ADC to save himself, not to save Nigeria.”
In response to Malami’s demand that Nigerians use the ADC to “reclaim the nation,” CARoLJ criticized it as being disingenuous.
“Malami is claiming to be saving Nigeria, which he assisted in bleeding for almost ten years. He now talks about banditry and suffering in the North, but he remained mute as Buhari destroyed communities in Zamfara, Kebbi, and Borno because he was too focused on political consolidation, according to Ayoola.
To the people of Kebbi: During the years of banditry, Malami heard your pleas, and his only answer was to remain silent. He can no longer claim to be your liberator. The continuous attempt by humiliated political actors to hide behind new parties and outdated slogans must be resisted by Nigerians. Accountability, not defection, is where real reform starts.
