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My supporters, not me, donated vehicles to Khadimiyya workers, Malami insists

By Ernest Nzor (Abuja) and Ahmadu Baba Idris (Birnin Kebbi)
04 May 2022   |   4:03 am
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has denied donating vehicles to Kebbi State All Progressives Congress (APC) executive or delegates, clarifying that his supporters gave out the automobiles to Khadimiyya workers instead.
Abubakar Malami

Nigeria’s attorney-general and minister for justice Abubakar Malami PHOTO: TWITTER/Abubakar Malami

• HURIWA urges probe of auto donation, dirty fuel

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has denied donating vehicles to Kebbi State All Progressives Congress (APC) executive or delegates, clarifying that his supporters gave out the automobiles to Khadimiyya workers instead.

At an interactive session with reporters, yesterday, in Birnin Kebbi, he said the story attributing vehicle distribution to him was mischievous and misinformation. 
He stated: “It were my friends and associates that donated vehicles to long-serving workers in the Khadimiyya Foundation. 

“The occasion was not for distribution of vehicles to any APC stakeholder. None of the APC stakeholders or delegates in Kebbi State was given any vehicle. I have not yet donated a vehicle to any delegate. 

“You can contact the national secretariat of the APC, get the list of all PC stakeholders and delegates in Kebbi State. Do an investigative story to realise how fictitious the claim is. 

“Comparing the names of APC stakeholders with the beneficiaries would reveal to you that there is no connection between the two.” THIS comes as the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) charged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to probe Malami for allegedly distributed over 200 exotic sport utility vehicles (SUVs) to Kebbi politicians ahead of the party’s governorship primary holding this month to pick its candidate for the 2023 general elections.

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group said: “It is illegal enough that Malami declared his ambition to succeed Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi in May 2023 without resigning his position as minister according to the Electoral Act.”

It described as untenable and diversionary, the AGF’s denial that it was his friends and associates who donated and distributed the vehicles, just as the rights group challenged Malami to publish the list of his friends that donated the cars and furnish Nigerians with the receipts of purchase for probity.

MEANWHILE, HURIWA also demanded from President Muhammadu Buhari when he intends to bring to justice the corporate bodies and individuals that imported the toxic fuel early February that precipitated a near two-month long fuel scarcity across the federation.

It recalled that the Nigerian leader, on February 10, said suppliers of the methanol-blended petroleum products were liable for the dirty fuel, and should be held accountable.

Buhari had directed relevant government agencies to take every lawful step to ensure the respect and protection of consumers against market abuse and social injustice.

In another statement by Onwubiko, the organisation equally remembered that the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) submitted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, as sole importer of fuel in the country, should be responsible for payment of damages to affected Nigerians.

It recollected that following the disclosure by the national oil firm that its investigation revealed the “presence of methanol in four petrol cargoes imported by MRS – Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium, Oando and Duke Oil – the President appeared to be very serious about ending the regime of impunity in the upstream sub-sector of the petroleum industry in Nigeria, but was perplexed that more than three months down the line, it would seem the Federal Government and all the relevant agencies that ought to prosecute the indicted companies have colluded with whomsoever that they ought to prosecute and have swept the issue under the carpet because there is widespread impunity in the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

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