THE CHAMELEONIC NATURE OF ABUBAKAR MALAMI (SAN)

By: Charles Ogboru

According to Merriam-Webster, "The chameleon is probably best known for the ability to change colors- but when the ancients named this lizard, they apparently had other qualities in mind." It is the ability of the chameleon to change colours that led to the figurative use of "chameleon" for someone that is quick to change. The 16th century King James VI of England, in one of his writings, wrote " I praye you not takk me to be a Camelion."

The character of Abubakar Malami (SAN), immediate past Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation under former President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, is best explained by the nature of a chameleon. How quick the former Minister was able to shift allegiance to an opposition party after the Administration of his former boss was inconceivable. Trailed by numerous controversies while in office, Malami is already tired of the serenity of life after public service as he seems to be courting more controversies outside office, however disparaging of the All Progressive Congress (APC) that brought him to limelight.

The SAN, it was reliably gathered, was instrumental to the judicial process that invalidated the victory of an APC candidate in the 2023 House of Representatives election in favour of the candidate of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) in Kano State. Members of the ANPP even paid him a visit in his house to show gratitude for helping them fight against the party on which platform his erstwhile boss became Nigeria's President.

Further back-stabbing the party that made him, Malami is said to be working towards the removal of the Director-General, State Services (DGSS), Mr Yusuf Bichi, CFR, an appointee of his master. One of his cronies, Nuhu Usman Kemo is already reaching out to very senior officers in the Department of State Services (DSS) for their curriculum vitae, promising them the highest office in the secret Service. Isn't it mischievous that Malami is still bold enough to try to influence presidential appointments in the current Administration, given the knotty and unresolved controversies trailing him from Buhari's Administration?

Malami's double-faced stand in his handling of the OPL 245 case against JP Morgan and Mohammed Bello Adoke, also a former Minister of Justice was glaring to everyone. Also, he was allegedly involved in the controversial reinstatement of the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina into the Federal Civil Service, after being declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The SAN was also accused of seeking approval for the payment of $16.9million fees to two lawyers for the recovery of Abacha loot worth $321million, which was rejected by the former Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun.

It was revealed that Malami got married to a daughter of former President Buhari in a calculated move to be picked as the APC's Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections. His plan fell like a pack of cards as the Party's stalwarts did not see him as a credible candidate. His bid to also secure APC'S Governorship ticket in Kebbi State also nose-dived, all because of his questionable antecedents.

As succinctly put by a writer, Ejiofor Alike , during Buhari's Administration, "Since the advent of democracy in 1999, no Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice has courted controversies like the incumbent, Abubakar Malami." He added that Malami was always in the news for the wrong reasons.