APC Governors Warn Malami: Don’t Endanger Your Political Future

Attorney-General of the Federa­tion and Minister of Justice, Abu­bakar Malami, is currently under intense pressure as All Progres­sives Congress (APC) governors and the leadership of the National Assembly mount pressure on him to sway President Muhammadu Buhari on their side over the Elec­toral Act Amendment Bill.

The APC governors said the bill will determine the political future of Malami, asking him not to endanger it.

A credible source in the presidency told Angel Network News that the APC gover­nors, who are at loggerheads with the National Assem­bly over the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, believe that Malami’s advice to Pres­ident Buhari will determine the outcome of the bill.

He said the issue at stake is now a battle of “pride and ego” as the governors are de­termined to prove to the Na­tional Assembly that their opinion on national matters cannot be pushed aside.

Even though Femi Gba­jabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Senate President Ah­mad Lawan had expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the bill, our source said the governors are con­fident that he will not assent to the bill as there are flaws in it that still needs to be ad­dressed.

Malami, who is said to be nursing a governorship ambition in 2023 in his home state of Kebbi, will need the support of Governor Atiku Bagudu to realise his ambi­tion.

Incidentally, Bagudu is the chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum and has been very vocal against the signing of the Electoral Bill, especially on the clause on direct primaries, saying that political parties should be given the liberty to choose the mode of primaries they desire.

“The governors have been lobbying Malami on the issue because as the chief law officer of the fed­eration, it is the advice he gives to the president that will determine the outcome of the Electoral Bill. I under­stand that one of the gover­nors told him (Malami) that he should anticipate a hos­tile reception on all future matters concerning his leg­acy and political ambition.

“Right now, the Villa is presently under siege over the signing of the Electoral Bill. Both the governors and leadership of the National Assembly are seriously lob­bying the presidency on the matter. If the bill is eventu­ally assented to by the pres­ident, it is a triumph for the federal lawmakers, but if it is rejected, that means the governors won. So, it is a serious matter here”.

Also speaking in an inter­view with Daily Independent on Monday, Oluwafemi Fa­dairo, Director of Adminis­tration to Senate President, said he is confident that President Buhari will assent to the bill.

“I have 100 percent assur­ance that President Buhari will sign it. The president himself is an advocate of direct primaries, if you could recollect the primary that brought President Mu­hammadu Buhari for second term in our dear party is a direct primary. To elect our president for the second time, we put Buhari as our president through direct pri­mary under APC.

“It is only PDP that is afraid of direct primary. If you could recollect in 1993 when MKO Abiola emerged as SDP candidate it was through direct primaries, in their general election peo­ple were counted, and that election was adjudged as the best, free, fair ever election.