Twist of fate as Malami set to challenge Idris for Kebbi gov

With the emergence of Abubakar Malami, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation as the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kebbi State, the battle line may have been drawn between him and the incumbent governor, Nasir Idris.

Gov Idris was returned as the consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state recently.

What may make the contest between the two politicians fierce and interesting according political pundits is the existing rivalry between the two political personalities over the Kebbi Government House.

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It is believed that Malami was instrumental to how Idris became governor in 2023 but Governor Idris had dismissed this on several occasions during public functions by saying “Nobody in this state except Almighty Allah made me Governor of Kebbi State. Let anybody who helped me come and say it. Even when they ganged up against me to steal my mandate by declaring the election inconclusive, I still won, it was God who made me Governor nobody else.”

It would be recalled that, in the build up to the 2023 governorship election in the state, Malami collapsed his political platform, KHADIMIYA into the APC. He had created it to launch himself into the governorship race in kebbi State but he collapsed it to support the APC campaign for the governorship elections because it was obvious, then that for some undisclosed circumstances and reasons that Malami would longer contest the governorship election in the state. Because of this, Malami was seen as a major benefactor to the campaign and victory of Governor Idris in the governorship elections.

However, the robust relationship that existed between the two political personalities went sour in less than six months after Comrade Idris became Governor of the state. The rift between them was confirmed when Malami who often comes to the Government House and attends government functions suddenly stopped and distanced himself from the administration of Governor Idris.

A chieftain of APC in the state, Alhaji Kabiru Usman in Gwadangwaji area of Birnin kebbi said Governor Idris took Malami like a trusted and dependable ally during and after the campaign and election that brought him into power.

“I think Malami is hasty in starting a fight with the Governor irrespective of what might have happened. He should have exercised patience with Governor Idris’s administration because it was barely a year when Malami parted ways with him over his ambition to govern kebbi.

“This is the same man who supported the governor to win election when other big personalities in the party and the government of Bagudu refused to support Governor Idris during the campaign and election of 2023. Many people believe that the impatience of Malami to wait for Governor Idris to complete twp terms before starting to show interest in wresting power from him was what caused the clash between them”, he said.

“Today, thousands of his followers and supporters have come to declare their support and loyalty to Governor Nasir Idris. Many of them are now holding key positions in the administration of Governor Idris. This is a plus for APC and a win for our Governor,” he added.

Many believe Malami as the flag bearer of the ADC in Kebbi State, would give the incumbent Governor and the APC a good run for their money. This is apart from the influence he commands as former minister of Justice, his supporters base in the state and the defection of the former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), General Aminu Bande (rtd) to the ADC to work with Malami.

To confirm this speculation, a chieftain of ADC and one of the  ardent supporters of Malami, Shehu Sani popularly known in the political circle as Albarka said the ADC is well positioned in kebbi and Malami and its supporters are not leaving anything to chance on the governorship election in 2027.

“We know the feelings of the people. We understand they are desirous of change in the administration of the state’s affairs and they believe the ADC under Malami would meet their aspirations and needs if elected. The ADC is well positioned to win the governorship election in kebbi State and deliver the people from the misrule of the APC administration”, he said.

Malami during the primaries of the ADC in Birnin kebbi said he was on a rescue mission in kebbi State. He said he and others have joined the ADC and are seeking to direct the affairs of the state to deliver the people from the spate of insecurity, poverty and educational decay that have bedevilled it.

The Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to Governor Idris, Yahaya Sarki however dismisses the ADC and Malami’s  entry Into Kebbi governorship race as a waste of time and resources. He said as far as kebbi is concerned Governor Idris is still the candidate to beat because people of the state are solidly behind him.

He maintained that Idris became the Governor of Kebbi State on the crest of a popular demand for a genuine rescue mission and to salvage a situation that had badly deteriorated across all sectors of the state’s public life.

He said “The insecurity, poverty, educational collapse and economic hardship which Malami cited as his reasons for joining the governorship race in the state was largely as a result of mismanagement and misguided priorities by individuals like him, who were more interested in what they could extract from the system than in what they could contribute to improve it.

Few weeks ago, two prominent APC chieftains, Senator Musa Maidoki and Senator Bala Na’Allah decamped to the ADC over their grievances with the party leadership on the just concluded primaries of the APC in Kebbi State.

While some sees this as a boost to the ADC and Malami’s chances in the governorship election, a chieftain of APC in the state,  Aliyu Haruna dismissed the crossing of the two political figures to ADC as a minus to it and Malami’s chances. “The area where the two personalities come from in Zuru Emirate is for Governor Nasir Idris and APC. The two of them have no say there. They are not among those that decide who wins election in Zuru. We didn’t see their moving to ADC to support Malami as a big issue”, he said.

Political pundits have posited that the kebbi governorship election in 2027 would revolve around Governor Idris and Malami. They also submitted that it would be a fierce contest if the ADC play it’s cards well. But the question that still remain unanswered is, can Malami and his new party, the ADC win election in APC controlled state like Kebbi? That remains to be seen in the 2027 general elections.

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