Kebbi 2023 And Malami’s Candidacy
By Bala Ismaila
It’s almost election season and in a multiparty democracy such as ours, every Tom, Dick and Harry fancies their chance of winning high positions. And in these days of social media politicking, both real and imagined, everyone wants to have a shot at the highest office in the land. If anything, the wave of people already declaring interests to run for the first office is a pointer that 2023 may push the boundaries of our sanity to the very brink. Multiparty democracy aside, everyone knows that the battle will be between Nigeria’s two main political parties, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its bitter rival and erstwhile ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
And as the battle for the soul of the country via Aso Rock continues at different levels, so too is the simmering battle for governorship seats. This battle is thicker and more fierce in states where the sitting governors have served out their two terms, for obvious reasons. In these places, the temptation for serving governors to play lord and publicly anoint candidates like Udom Emmanuel has done or, covertly, like we will come to learn when the curtains for the electoral show is raised. I reckon there will be no shortage of drama with the tendency to test the collective sanity of the nation.
One place though where indications are beginning to emerge that we may not witness the haughty battle of 2023 is Kebbi state.
It already appears as, though, for the first time, there may be no rancour in Kebbi, at least not in the APC with respect to the choice of who takes over from Governor Bagudu in 2023. The body language of APC leaders in Kebbi state suggests that they are not looking beyond Abubakar Malami SAN, the current Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation. Who will blame them. It’s not often that you get one who is miles ahead in the choice-scale as Malami.
It would have been foolhardy to look past someone of Abubakar Malami’s stellar credentials, but most importantly, his service to the APC as a party. Without prejudice to other bona fide APC members of Kebbi origin who may also be nursing the guber ambition, Malami has built himself into such a selling brand, making him the best choice for the post by far. Through his numerous achievements, as minister of justice and loyal party member, the man will make other contestants look like cheerleaders.
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One of such achievements is first of all that, Malami is one of the biggest export from Kebbi state in the current dispensation; he has used that good office to endear himself to the people back home. His appeal cuts across the masses, including a cordiality with the sitting governor, and the powers that be in the APC. Malami appeals even to President Muhammadu Buhari, who has reposed confidence in him, to the point of naming him twice to lead the country’s justice ministry. Feelers within the APC are that Malami is among the few within the APC that the president may be willing to endorse personally.
But this is far from the only reason the choice of Malami makes lots of sense. It makes sense, first, because he has seen it all as a powerful appointee of a most enigmatic president, but more because he has used his influence to empower, and ensure the appointment of other shining lights of Kebbi state to juicy and influential positions of government. No need to start throwing names, the records are out there for everyone to contravene.
Other faces of the Malami choice and how it will make a lot of sense is that he has demonstrated the capacity to not only provide the much needed leadership in a place as complex as the Ministry of Justice, but also because he has been exposed to the right connections that could be harnessed to attract positive local and international partnerships. Needless to say this will only translate into more opportunities for the good people of Kebbi state.
Indeed, Malami’s biggest selling point is his dedication to the fight against corruption. Since assuming office, Malami has been the poster boy of President Buhari’s much celebrated war on corruption. The man has overseen the prosecution of high profile cases involving big names like Diezani Alison Madueke, Abdulrasheed Maina, Olisa Metuh, Joshua Dariye and others too numerous to mention. Imagine Kebbi under such an incorruptible legal czar? One thing to first believe will be that there will be financial propriety. I’m sure the people are already salivating at the sweet taste of financial prudence and effective utilisation of public funds.
Without being too obvious, this will mean better roads, more hospitals, better schools, sustenance of the scholarship regime in the state and many more innovative ideas tailormade to better the lot of the people. Without sounding brash, I will say even his prospective opponents in the polls are aware that they have their jobs cutout for them trying to contend with someone like Abubakar Malami.
This is why the man must be prevailed upon to quickly declare his interest to run before some charlatans start muddying the waters of the people’s aspirations through him. Not that it will matter in the end, but in this days of social media anomie, people don’t need many reasons to second guess themselves. One thing remains clear: Malami is, by far, the best choice for Kebbi and may be the only option for APC.
Bala writes from Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi state.
