The former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has rejected allegations of corruption leveled against him by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Obasanjo, in his newly released book, Nigeria: Past and Future, accused Malami of playing a pivotal role in what he described as entrenched corruption under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. He claimed that Buhari’s tenure witnessed “the most atrocious waste and the enthronement of corruption,” with Malami allegedly being a key player in the process. One of the core allegations was Malami’s involvement in the presidential pardon granted to two former governors—Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State—both convicted of embezzling public funds. Dariye was serving a 10-year sentence for misappropriating N1.126 billion, while Nyame was sentenced to 12 years for diverting N1.64 billion. In April 2022, the Council of State, led by Buhari, granted both governors a pardon, citing age and health conditions. However, Obasanjo alleged that the pardon was orchestrated by Malami for corrupt motives, later claiming that neither of the ex-governors had life-threatening illnesses as initially suggested. Malami’s Response Reacting to the accusations in an exclusive interview with kiin media Malami dismissed the allegations, stating that the pardon process is guided strictly by law and does not fall under the Attorney General’s direct authority. “The issue of pardon is a legal matter regulated by existing legislation. It is handled by a Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, which reviews cases and makes recommendations,” Malami explained. “My role as Attorney General was simply to present the committee’s report to the Council of State, not to make decisions on who gets pardoned.” Malami further condemned the growing trend of unsubstantiated corruption allegations against public officials, urging individuals making such claims to provide credible evidence. “Our system is flooded with wild and baseless allegations,” he said, referencing past accusations against Nigerian presidents during international media engagements. He specifically cited Obasanjo’s BBC Hard Talk interview, where the former president himself was confronted with similar corruption claims. “For any allegation of bribery or corruption to be taken seriously, it must be backed by specific details—who was involved, how much was exchanged, the date, time, and medium of transaction,” Malami added. He concluded by stating that allegations without concrete evidence remain baseless, politically motivated, and legally unenforceable.
Amidat
