News Editor
Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s order that all ministers vying for elective positions should resign, Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, has pulled out of the Kebbi State gubernatorial race, sources told SaharaReporters on Friday.
Malami had in April declared interest in the Kebbi State governorship race.
He also distributed over 200 exotic vehicles to party members ahead of the governorship primary in the state.
On Wednesday, he submitted his N50 million nomination form at the International Conference Centre.
Several sources close to the minister said he withdrew from the race over fear that he may not get the ticket.
There has been a cold political war between the incumbent governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu and the political arrowhead of Kebbi, Senator Adamu Alieru over who succeeds the former.
While Bagudu, who chairs the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), is rooting for Malami as his successor, Aliero, a two-term governor of the state, has Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi as his preferred candidate for the APC governorship ticket.
Aliero’s camp has Bala Sani Kangiwa, who was removed during the last state congress of the party as their chairman, while the camp of the governor has Abubakar Kana Zuru as chairman.
Two secretariats of the APC now exist in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
Fearing he may not get the ticket under the current circumstances, Malami was said to have changed his plan and pulled out of the governorship race.
“He (Malami) actually pulled out of the race because he knows he can’t win without being the Attorney General,” a source told SaharaReporters.
Malami, a lawyer from Kebbi State who was hardly known before 2015 when he was appointed into the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, is today one of the richest men in Nigeria.
