By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has denied reports that he bought vehicles for officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi State.
Malami said a donation and distribution of vehicles by his friends and associates to long-term workers of a non-governmental organisation he supports, the Khadimiyya Foundation, was falsely reported as a distribution of cars to leaders of APC in the state.
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in Birnin Kebbi, Malami he had come under attack as a result of the publications of the allegation.
He said: “At this moment, I have experienced a barrage of attacks, left, right and centre, some are local and others international, an attack that has to do with an allegation that I shared many expensive vehicles to delegates of APC.
“As a person with some associates, neither I nor a friend of mine shared any vehicle to any delegate across the state.”
“Let me state categorically that some of the foundations, as Khadi Malami and Khadimiyya for Justice and Development Initiative I am associated with over time, have workers who have demonstrated a greater capacity in the development of the state.
“These associations have contributed immensely in poverty alleviation, provision of social amenities to remotest areas, empowering unemployed youth and women, as well as small and medium scale farmers and businessmen and women, among others, in the state.
“In appreciation of what the workers of the associations have been doing in the state and beyond, the supporters of the associations, collectively and individually, decided to solicit for support from well-meaning Nigerians that have been supporting the NGOs in order to reward those that have been manning the affairs of the NGOs.
“I know I had an interactive session with APC stakeholders some days ago and had accepted calls from Kebbi people to run for the state governorship; the meeting was not for distribution of vehicles to any APC stakeholder.
“None of the APC stakeholders or delegates in Kebbi State was given any vehicle by me, and I have not yet donated any vehicle to any delegate.
“The mischief makers can contact the National Secretariat of the APC, get the lists of all the APC stakeholders and delegates in Kebbi State.
“You too can do an investigative story to reach out to them, then you will realise how fictitious the claim is.
“There is no connection between the names of APC stakeholders and the beneficiaries of the vehicles and are not connected whatsoever.”