The Kebbi State Government on Sunday faulted former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over his remarks about the condition of the state after he joined the 2027 governorship race under the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
The reaction came after Malami obtained the ADC governorship nomination form and accused the state government of failing to tackle insecurity, poverty, poor healthcare, weak education and economic hardship in Kebbi State.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Nasir Idris, Yahaya Sarki, the state government said Malami had the right to seek political office but rejected his claims about governance in the state.
The government accused the former minister of presenting misleading information about insecurity and development in Kebbi. It also argued that many of the problems facing the country today became worse during the administration where Malami served as Attorney-General of the Federation.
According to the statement, public officials who occupied top positions at the federal level during that period should also accept responsibility for some of the economic and security challenges affecting Nigerians.
The state government further alleged that insecurity expanded across parts of the country while Malami and other federal officials served in office. It questioned his criticism of the current administration and his decision to describe the situation in Kebbi as a governance emergency.
The Idris administration said efforts were ongoing in different sectors across the state, including healthcare, education, agriculture, road construction and security. It added that several general hospitals were undergoing rehabilitation while some primary healthcare centres were also being upgraded.
On security matters, the government maintained that it inherited many challenges after assuming office in 2023 and had continued to introduce reforms aimed at improving the welfare of residents and restoring stability in affected communities.
The statement insisted that the present administration remained committed to improving infrastructure and public services across the state despite economic difficulties facing the country.