The Kebbi State Government has criticised former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, over his decision to join the 2027 governorship race, accusing him of misrepresenting the state’s condition and attempting to distance himself from governance failures during his time in office.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Governor Nasir Idris’ Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yahaya Sarki, the government said Malami’s governorship ambition would ordinarily not deserve attention but for what it described as “a litany of falsehoods” contained in his justification for seeking office.

“To start with, it is his inalienable right to contest for office and, for the record, we even welcome his ambition — if only for its nuisance value,” the statement said.

The government was reacting to comments credited to Malami in which he cited insecurity, poverty, poor education and economic hardship as reasons for entering the race.

According to the state government, the former minister failed to acknowledge that many of the problems he highlighted worsened during the period he served in the Federal Government.

“It is ironic that he conveniently forgot that people like him, who held sway in Abuja until three years ago, bear direct responsibility for many of the problems afflicting not just Kebbi State, but Nigeria at large,” the statement added.

The government accused Malami and other former officials of prioritising personal enrichment over national development, alleging that insecurity, poverty and economic hardship became deeply entrenched because of poor leadership and misplaced priorities.

It further alleged that some officials who served during the period transformed themselves “from near penury into overnight multibillionaires” while the country battled worsening humanitarian and governance crises.

Responding specifically to Malami’s criticism of the state’s education and security sectors, the government argued that the indicators he referenced had already deteriorated significantly before the current administration assumed office in 2023.

The statement also dismissed Malami’s reported pledge to declare a state of emergency on governance if elected, questioning his moral authority to present himself as a reformer.

“How can one of the principal architects of our current misfortune credibly present himself as the man to fix it?” the government queried.

Defending Governor Nasir Idris’ administration, the government listed several achievements in education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture and security.

It said the administration had constructed thousands of classrooms, built new schools, supplied learning materials and recruited 2,000 teachers in a single exercise.

In the health sector, the government said all 31 general hospitals in the state were undergoing rehabilitation, while 21 primary healthcare centres were also being upgraded with modern equipment.

The statement added that reforms in medical personnel remuneration had encouraged doctors who previously left the state to return.

On insecurity, the government accused Malami of remaining silent while banditry and terrorism escalated during his tenure as Attorney-General.

It maintained that the present administration inherited a damaged system caused by years of mismanagement and diversion of public resources.

The government concluded that those associated with past governance failures should not be seeking public office, insisting that Kebbi State remained focused on reforms and development under Governor Idris.