₦airaland Forum

TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI

The Macmillan dictionary describes an ‘artful dodger’ as ‘someone who is clever and manages to get out of difficult situations and avoid answering questions”. That definition aptly describes Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), one of the most influential ministers in President Muhammadu Buhari’s government today. His name has been on the lips of many Nigerians in recent times, albeit for the wrong reasons.

Whenever Malami is in the eye of the storm, either by taking any action or saying things that drew backlash from Nigerians, he craftily and cleverly comes up with all manners of stories aimed at distracting and diverting the attention of Nigerians from the issues at stake. That is when you gleefully hear him talk about ‘Diezani loot’, ‘Debt Recovery’, ‘Abacha assets’ and other jejune tales; a calculated attempt to divert the attention of Nigerians away from the issues involving him.
n May 2020, his reference to the repatriated Abacha loots as “Abacha assets” drew widespread condemnation from Nigerians who labeled him as an ethnic jingoist. He however maintained that the choice of words he used was deliberate.

“It is to be noted that by way of antecedence, I have been consistently describing the recovered funds as “Abacha loot” at several fora during the process of recovery particularly before the eventual repatriation of the funds. “The point needs to be made that when the seal of legitimacy was appended to the funds by way of repatriation, it became an asset in favour of the Federal Government as a beneficial owner of same.

“Beyond the issues of verbal dexterity and vocal acrobatics, Nigerians should focus more on the effective utilisation of the recovered funds in accordance with the content of the signed tripartite agreement in the interest of Nigerians” he had said.

Again, Malami, the Chief Law Officer of the Federation is in the news again (and for the wrong reasons too!). A fake Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Lawrence Ajodo, arrested alongside others over the invasion of Supreme Court’s Justice Mary Odili had claimed that he was Malami’s consultant. He however, said the AGF did not send them to carry out the invasion.

In a swift response, Malami denied having any deal with the suspect and called on him to produce evidence of contractual agreement between them, the terms of references for the alleged consultancy service and when he was engaged.

In a statement by his Special Assistant to Malami (Media and Public Relations), Dr. Umar Gwandu, the Minister said “The attention of the Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to a confession of a suspect during interrogation in the investigation of the recent invasion of the residence of the highly respected Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Peter Odili.

“With all the competent, high-level professionals and capable human resources available at the disposal of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, it only takes the imagination of the evil minds to assume or think that the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will descend so low to engaging a quack or fake police officer to serve as his consultant.

“This is a case of a drowning man scavenging for a dying partner. We are happy to note that investigation has commenced to unravel the circumstances and personalities behind the invasion and sponsored campaign of calumny against the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

“It is our desire and we hope that the investigation would also disclose those after the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, those dragging his personality, his name and his exalted office in the dirty politics of disrepute”.

“We asked the suspect to present documents of engagements where he worked as a consultant to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, whether in past or now.

“Consultant for what? Which activity or assignment? When was he engaged? What were the terms of references for the alleged consultancy service? When was he engaged? Where was he engaged? Which worked has he executed for the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and the Ministry of Justice? For what duration? And for how much?

“We boldly and unequivocally challenge the fake consultant/ police officer to come out with answers or responses to these questions to the general public.

“The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice superintends over and respects the rule of law and will not do anything to undermine the sanctity of his office and that of the entire judiciary and Justice sector.”

Already, Olumide Akpata, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has said that Malami may be stripped of his senior advocate rank if he is found to be involved in the raid of Justice Mary Odili’s house.

While that is ongoing, Malami also incurred the wrath of the Nigerian lawmakers for ordering bank to convert revenue collected in dollars to naira before remittance to the federal government.

The House of Representatives’ Ad Hoc Committee on Assessment and Status of All Recovered Loots Movable and Immovable Assets from 2002 to 2020 by Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria for Effective Efficient Management and Utilisation which took exception to the action of the Minister may soon summon him over the issue.

Keystone Bank, had told the committee that Malami instructed it to remit part of the $136m in its custody in naira while also determining the exchange rate, a revelation that the lawmakers criticised.

Lawal Ahmed, the Executive Director, North and Public Sector Directorate, Keystone Bank, at an investigative hearing by the committee in Abuja told the lawmakers “You asked for where we got the rates and we provided the letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation directing us to make the payment and the rate with which to transfer. We also submitted that with our letter.” The Minister is yet to respond to this.

The third issue involving Malami is the accusation by Nigeria’s 36 governors that he was working against the public’s interest by insisting on the payment of $418 million to private consultants from the accounts of state governments.

The consultants are claiming a percentage of Paris Club refunds as payment of services they said they rendered to the states and local government. While the Federal Government had determined to pay the consultants from state accounts, a Federal High Court restrained it from making such deductions until all issues relating to that matter were fully determined.

Malami who said the states and local governments had acted in bad faith by taking the case to court added that the deductions were ratified by several court judgements and the Federal Government only had to step in to avoid forfeiting any of its assets, since it was also a defendant in the lawsuits against the states.

The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, said Maalmi’s actions “raises questions of propriety and the spirit of justice.”

“The HAGF is supposed to be the chief arbiter in all matters concerning Nigerians, especially the poor masses of this country. It is incumbent upon him to, not just ensure that justice is done, but that justice is seen to have been done,” the statement said.

“The undue haste, with which the statement was issued even before the service on the AGF of the court processes and the order dated 5th November, 2021restraining the Federal Government, seems to suggest that there is a special relationship between the Office of the HAGF and the consultants over and above Nigerian citizens, whose interest the HAGF as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation is statutorily bound to always protect. The statement also suggests that the restraining order issued last Friday not only unsettled preconceived plans and angered the unnamed ‘government officers’ referred to by the media aide.

“The media aide to the HAGF justifies the deductions on the basis that they are made pursuant to four court judgments; two of which are consent judgments and/ or that the NGF/States and LGAs consented, expressed no objection to the payments and had already paid part of the debts to the said contractors and consultants. The statement by the media aide to the HAGF however conveniently and deliberately failed to name the judgments under reference and whether they are on appeal or challenged in any other way. He also failed to specify which of the four judgments authorised payments and in what proportion to each of the contractors”.

Faced with barrage of accusations from the front, back, right, left and centre, which story will Malami, the Artful Dodger come up with to divert the attention of Nigerians from the pressing issues involving him? We watch with keen interest.
https://independent.ng/abubakar-malami-the-artful-dodger-and-his-many-tactics/

What will destroy Malami is no longer far from him

Real dodger...did anyone saw how he answered most of the question Shaun Okunbaloye asked him yesterday?

Suru to lọjọ...

Qouta system lawyer Malami is an aberration

Those guys that took a fall for him has been compensated with millions.

[s]

hisexcellency34:
TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI

The Macmillan dictionary describes an ‘artful dodger’ as ‘someone who is clever and manages to get out of difficult situations and avoid answering questions”. That definition aptly describes Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), one of the most influential ministers in President Muhammadu Buhari’s government today. His name has been on the lips of many Nigerians in recent times, albeit for the wrong reasons.

Whenever Malami is in the eye of the storm, either by taking any action or saying things that drew backlash from Nigerians, he craftily and cleverly comes up with all manners of stories aimed at distracting and diverting the attention of Nigerians from the issues at stake. That is when you gleefully hear him talk about ‘Diezani loot’, ‘Debt Recovery’, ‘Abacha assets’ and other jejune tales; a calculated attempt to divert the attention of Nigerians away from the issues involving him.
n May 2020, his reference to the repatriated Abacha loots as “Abacha assets” drew widespread condemnation from Nigerians who labeled him as an ethnic jingoist. He however maintained that the choice of words he used was deliberate.

“It is to be noted that by way of antecedence, I have been consistently describing the recovered funds as “Abacha loot” at several fora during the process of recovery particularly before the eventual repatriation of the funds. “The point needs to be made that when the seal of legitimacy was appended to the funds by way of repatriation, it became an asset in favour of the Federal Government as a beneficial owner of same.

“Beyond the issues of verbal dexterity and vocal acrobatics, Nigerians should focus more on the effective utilisation of the recovered funds in accordance with the content of the signed tripartite agreement in the interest of Nigerians” he had said.

Again, Malami, the Chief Law Officer of the Federation is in the news again (and for the wrong reasons too!). A fake Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Lawrence Ajodo, arrested alongside others over the invasion of Supreme Court’s Justice Mary Odili had claimed that he was Malami’s consultant. He however, said the AGF did not send them to carry out the invasion.

In a swift response, Malami denied having any deal with the suspect and called on him to produce evidence of contractual agreement between them, the terms of references for the alleged consultancy service and when he was engaged.

In a statement by his Special Assistant to Malami (Media and Public Relations), Dr. Umar Gwandu, the Minister said “The attention of the Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to a confession of a suspect during interrogation in the investigation of the recent invasion of the residence of the highly respected Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Peter Odili.

“With all the competent, high-level professionals and capable human resources available at the disposal of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, it only takes the imagination of the evil minds to assume or think that the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will descend so low to engaging a quack or fake police officer to serve as his consultant.

“This is a case of a drowning man scavenging for a dying partner. We are happy to note that investigation has commenced to unravel the circumstances and personalities behind the invasion and sponsored campaign of calumny against the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

“It is our desire and we hope that the investigation would also disclose those after the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, those dragging his personality, his name and his exalted office in the dirty politics of disrepute”.

“We asked the suspect to present documents of engagements where he worked as a consultant to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, whether in past or now.

“Consultant for what? Which activity or assignment? When was he engaged? What were the terms of references for the alleged consultancy service? When was he engaged? Where was he engaged? Which worked has he executed for the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and the Ministry of Justice? For what duration? And for how much?

“We boldly and unequivocally challenge the fake consultant/ police officer to come out with answers or responses to these questions to the general public.

“The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice superintends over and respects the rule of law and will not do anything to undermine the sanctity of his office and that of the entire judiciary and Justice sector.”

Already, Olumide Akpata, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has said that Malami may be stripped of his senior advocate rank if he is found to be involved in the raid of Justice Mary Odili’s house.

While that is ongoing, Malami also incurred the wrath of the Nigerian lawmakers for ordering bank to convert revenue collected in dollars to naira before remittance to the federal government.

The House of Representatives’ Ad Hoc Committee on Assessment and Status of All Recovered Loots Movable and Immovable Assets from 2002 to 2020 by Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria for Effective Efficient Management and Utilisation which took exception to the action of the Minister may soon summon him over the issue.

Keystone Bank, had told the committee that Malami instructed it to remit part of the $136m in its custody in naira while also determining the exchange rate, a revelation that the lawmakers criticised.

Lawal Ahmed, the Executive Director, North and Public Sector Directorate, Keystone Bank, at an investigative hearing by the committee in Abuja told the lawmakers “You asked for where we got the rates and we provided the letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation directing us to make the payment and the rate with which to transfer. We also submitted that with our letter.” The Minister is yet to respond to this.

The third issue involving Malami is the accusation by Nigeria’s 36 governors that he was working against the public’s interest by insisting on the payment of $418 million to private consultants from the accounts of state governments.

The consultants are claiming a percentage of Paris Club refunds as payment of services they said they rendered to the states and local government. While the Federal Government had determined to pay the consultants from state accounts, a Federal High Court restrained it from making such deductions until all issues relating to that matter were fully determined.

Malami who said the states and local governments had acted in bad faith by taking the case to court added that the deductions were ratified by several court judgements and the Federal Government only had to step in to avoid forfeiting any of its assets, since it was also a defendant in the lawsuits against the states.

The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, said Maalmi’s actions “raises questions of propriety and the spirit of justice.”

“The HAGF is supposed to be the chief arbiter in all matters concerning Nigerians, especially the poor masses of this country. It is incumbent upon him to, not just ensure that justice is done, but that justice is seen to have been done,” the statement said.

“The undue haste, with which the statement was issued even before the service on the AGF of the court processes and the order dated 5th November, 2021restraining the Federal Government, seems to suggest that there is a special relationship between the Office of the HAGF and the consultants over and above Nigerian citizens, whose interest the HAGF as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation is statutorily bound to always protect. The statement also suggests that the restraining order issued last Friday not only unsettled preconceived plans and angered the unnamed ‘government officers’ referred to by the media aide.

“The media aide to the HAGF justifies the deductions on the basis that they are made pursuant to four court judgments; two of which are consent judgments and/ or that the NGF/States and LGAs consented, expressed no objection to the payments and had already paid part of the debts to the said contractors and consultants. The statement by the media aide to the HAGF however conveniently and deliberately failed to name the judgments under reference and whether they are on appeal or challenged in any other way. He also failed to specify which of the four judgments authorised payments and in what proportion to each of the contractors”.

Faced with barrage of accusations from the front, back, right, left and centre, which story will Malami, the Artful Dodger come up with to divert the attention of Nigerians from the pressing issues involving him? We watch with keen interest.
https://independent.ng/abubakar-malami-the-artful-dodger-and-his-many-tactics/

[/s]

No sense and ingredients
Una go wail tire. Cry me a river

Malory:
Qouta system lawyer Malami is an aberration

There's no such thing my dear. Anybody who passes through law school will tell u. Most of your naggings are just fueled by hate or bias

blackpanda:
There's no such thing my dear. Anybody who passes through law school will tell u. Most of your naggings are just fueled by hate or bias

Then you are not a Nigerian. How's Congo treating you? I

This is man is the next worst thing to happen to this nation after his boss.His Waterloo is near.He should continue the evil.

Malory:
Then you are not a Nigerian. How's Congo treating you? I

I am more Nigerian than u dear, haters!

blackpanda:
[s][/s]

No sense and ingredients
Una go wail tire. Cry me a river

. Don't worry it's just a matter of time, just few days from now he will be hunted and turn to malami loot

durangokid:
. Don't worry it's just a matter of time, just few days from now he will be hunted and turn to malami loot

Super story. No such thing dear

Keep defending Malami. A man who doesn't know you exist

blackpanda:
Super story. No such thing dear

hisexcellency34:
Keep defending Malami. A man who doesn't know you exist

I'm not defending malami. I'm fighting hate lies and useless bias. Nigeria must move forward whether haters like it or yes.

blackpanda:
I am more Nigerian than u dear, haters!

Haters kee u there. Disappoint me in your next comment by making sense. Rubbish

blackpanda:
Super story. No such thing dear

. Just calm down , me and you know , the next stage is malamj loot , and mark my words makami is a goner nothing will save him

Malami will definitely be disgraced out of office.

nairavsdollars:
Real dodger...did anyone saw how he answered most of the question Shaun Okunbaloye asked him yesterday?

Those questions were premeditated, really disappointed in Seun Okinbaloye. Few days ago, he interviewed Finance Minister, she came on air with jotted notes, premeditated session they both had.

Let them go to Arise TV and face Rufai and Tundun Abiola, alongside Dele Farotimi as guest.

The day of reckoning is nigh.

blackpanda:
I'm not defending malami. I'm fighting hate lies and useless bias. Nigeria must move forward whether haters like it or yes.

Seun asked him who requested some part of the recovered funds be converted into naira with exchange rate of N305/$, he artfully dogded the question. Instead, he said the money was partly converted and sent to CBN. Who audits CBN to find out if trully it was sent to CBN? Who audits CBN I ask you. Did he give the order or not? He refused to answer that. Tell me, who is lying now? For your information, nobody hates those fellas mismanaging our affairs, our fate is of the Lord.

Freestainworld:
What will destroy Malami is no longer far from him

If Akpata revokes his license, thats the end for him. Anyways, he'll still lobby the NBA and escape.
He knows what might come, that's why he's running from pillar to post to defend his name rather than fighting to condemn the act on Odilli's residence.

jammer777:
Seun asked him who requested some part of the recovered funds be converted into naira with exchange rate of N305/$, he artfully dogded the question. Instead, he said the money was partly converted and sent to CBN. Who audits CBN to find out if trully it was sent to CBN? Who audits CBN I ask you. Did he give the order or not? He refused to answer that. Tell me, who is lying now? For your information, nobody hates those fellas mismanaging our affairs, our fate is of the Lord.

Your tactics aren't new, using God to cover your internalized hate. Where did u see malami was invited Abeg rest my dear, we know ur true motives already. No be today

durangokid:
. Just calm down , me and you know , the next stage is malamj loot , and mark my words makami is a goner nothing will save him

You know nothing dear. So rest

Shut up. Foolish, bigot southerners among you hate him. But we northerners, we love our thing. Up Malami

Keep loving your 'thing'.

System202:
Shut up. Foolish, bigot southerners among you hate him. But we northerners, we love our thing. Up Malami

blackpanda:
Your tactics aren't new, using God to cover your internalized hate. Where did u see malami was invited Abeg rest my dear, we know ur true motives already. No be today

He was invited by Seun Okinbaloye yesterday on Sunday Politics. Who dey use God? What I'm pasting on your face is that, I no send Malami as e no dey feed me. Bursted the lies, now the hate. I can't hate who I haven't met, no favour between eachother, no relationship or whatsoever. I can only harbour hate in my heart only if Gulder is out of production, I no get time.

hisexcellency34:
Keep loving your 'thing'.

Indeed their "thing"...lol

Sleazy criminal Malami, the one who Reuben Abati hailed as a 'great intellectual' when he insulted the Canadian Minister of Justice in Alberta.

System202:
Shut up. Foolish, bigot southerners among you hate him. But we northerners, we love our thing. Up Malami

Castigating systematic degradation by progressives like us isn't tied to gender, religion or ethnicity. Malami is a Nigerian, you are and I am as well.

Ti a ba gun iyan ninu odo, ti a se obe ninu epo epa, eni ma yo a yo, eni o ni yo ko ni yo.

Life f*cks us all.

blackpanda:
[s][/s]

No sense and ingredients
Una go wail tire. Cry me a river

What did you say was your religion again?

blackpanda:
[s][/s]

No sense and ingredients
Una go wail tire. Cry me a river

Panda, na cruise wey dey catch, we no dey wail. Person like me no dey fight the rich and the powerful. Malami get bread and power, can't loose a breath cos of him. Just as we say the truth, we dey catch cruise behind the keyboard, nothing do us. But as we live rent free in your heads is so sooooothing.

jammer777:
Panda, na cruise wey dey catch, we no dey wail. Person like me no dey fight the rich and the powerful. Malami get bread and power, can't loose a breath cos of him. Just as we say the truth, we dey catch cruise behind the keyboard, nothing do us. But as we live rent free in your heads is so sooooothing.

From ur long epistle it's obvious ee also live in yours dear.