The Kebbi State Government and former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, are on a collision course ahead of the 2027 governorship election following sharp exchanges over the state of governance in the state.
The face-off began after Malami reportedly justified his governorship ambition by pointing to rising insecurity, poverty, poor educational outcomes and economic hardship in Kebbi State.
But the administration of Governor Nasir Idris has rejected the claims, accusing the former minister of attempting to distance himself from the failures of the administration in which he served for years.
In a statement issued by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yahaya Sarki, the state government said Malami had every right to contest for office but argued that his comments about governance amounted to political revisionism.
The statement noted that many of the problems now confronting Kebbi and the country became worse during the period Malami occupied office as Attorney-General under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
According to the government, officials who held powerful positions at the federal level during that period could not now claim innocence over the current social and economic conditions.
The administration alleged that governance under the previous federal leadership was characterised by poor priorities, policy inconsistencies and weak responses to insecurity, which it said contributed significantly to worsening hardship across the country.
The government also accused some former public officials of enriching themselves while millions of Nigerians struggled with poverty and insecurity.
Responding specifically to Malami’s criticism of education and healthcare in Kebbi, the Idris administration defended its performance, insisting that substantial investments had been made since 2023 to revive critical sectors.
It said the government had embarked on the construction and rehabilitation of classrooms, recruitment of teachers and provision of learning materials across the state.
The administration also pointed to ongoing rehabilitation projects in general hospitals and primary healthcare centres, saying reforms in the health sector had improved service delivery and attracted medical personnel back to the state.
On security, the government maintained that the current administration inherited a fragile system weakened by years of neglect and poor management.
It accused former federal authorities of failing to effectively tackle banditry and violent crime while they were in power.
The statement further criticised Malami’s reported promise to declare a “state of emergency on governance” if elected governor, questioning how someone who played a key role in previous administrations could now present himself as a reform candidate.
“How can one of the principal actors in the previous system suddenly position himself as the solution to the same problems?” the statement queried.
Political observers believe the confrontation signals the start of an intense political battle ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Kebbi State.
Analysts say the exchange also reflects a broader struggle among political actors seeking to shape public perception about responsibility for Nigeria’s current economic and security challenges.
While Malami has continued consultations ahead of the election, the Kebbi State Government insists its focus remains on implementing reforms and consolidating ongoing development projects across the state.
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