A civic watchdog, the Citizens Alliance for Rule of Law and Justice (CARoLJ), has slammed former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), describing his recent criticism of the Bola Tinubu administration and defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as “political desperation disguised as a moral awakening”.

In a statement signed by its president, Hamzat Tunde Ayoola, and released on Sunday, the group said Malami’s attack on the APC-led government was “deeply ironic” given his controversial legacy while serving as Minister of Justice between 2015 and 2023 under the APC administration of Muhammadu Buhari.

“Abubakar Malami presided over one of the darkest chapters in Nigeria’s legal history,” Ayoola said. “To now hear him speak of justice, equity, and national renewal is to witness a man attempting to whitewash a record tainted by defiance of court orders, shielding of corrupt elites, and abuse of state power.”

Malami, while announcing his defection to the ADC last week, accused the Tinubu administration of worsening insecurity and economic hardship, particularly in the North. But CARoLJ dismissed his comments as “cynical and dishonest”, urging Nigerians not to forget his track record.

The group cited the 2017 reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Maina, a former fugitive facing corruption charges, as emblematic of Malami’s tenure. Maina was controversially returned to civil service under circumstances allegedly linked to Malami’s influence.

They also criticised his role in the presidential pardon of ex-governors Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame, both convicted of looting state funds. The clemency, granted in 2022 and processed through Malami’s ministry, was widely condemned by civil society.

CARoLJ accused Malami of weakening Nigeria’s anti-corruption architecture, citing bungled prosecutions, compromised investigations, and legal defeats in foreign courts, including the P&ID arbitration case, which cost Nigeria hundreds of millions of dollars.

They described his tenure as marked by selective justice, with the EFCC allegedly turned into a tool for targeting political opponents while allies were shielded.

The group further raised concerns over the asset recovery framework Malami championed, alleging a lack of transparency and questionable handling of recovered funds.

“Nigerians were shown figures but never the trail. What we saw instead was a surge in unexplained wealth among Malami’s close associates, including his children,” Ayoola added.

“You can’t preach reform while living off the ruins of abuse. Malami’s defection isn’t about rescuing Nigeria; it’s about salvaging his political ambition,” the group said, describing his move to the ADC as “a soft launch” for his rumoured 2027 Kebbi governorship bid.

Reacting to Malami’s call for Nigerians to “reclaim the nation”, the group labelled it hypocritical.

“The same Nigeria Malami now seeks to save is the one he helped undermine for nearly a decade,” Ayoola said. “When banditry ravaged Zamfara, Kebbi, and Borno, he said nothing. He cannot now pose as a liberator.”

CARoLJ urged Nigerians to scrutinise defectors seeking political redemption, warning against “repackaged political actors with recycled slogans”.

“True reform begins with accountability, not cosmetic defections. Nigerians deserve better than the same old faces hiding behind new banners,” the group said.