Political camps in Kebbi State have begun trading arguments over the suitability and records of Governor Nasir Idris of the All Progressives Congress and the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, ahead of the 2027 election.
The latest exchange followed comments by Abdullahi Idris Sadaukin Zuru, the Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy to Governor Idris, who argued that the governor’s professional and labour background had prepared him for public leadership.
Zuru said Idris’ experience as a professionally trained teacher, former National President of the Nigerian Union of Teachers and former Deputy National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress gave him a background in organised leadership and public service.
The governor’s aide also pointed to projects and programmes implemented by the administration, including road construction, urban renewal, recruitment in the education and health sectors, payment of salaries and pensions, and empowerment programmes targeting young people and women.
Malami, meanwhile, brings a different political and professional background to the contest. He served as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice from 2015 to 2023 and was formally nominated as the ADC governorship candidate for Kebbi in 2026.
The former minister has made security, education, healthcare, agriculture, youth employment and economic development central to his campaign message. He has also criticised the Idris administration over insecurity, poverty and the management of state resources.
The governor’s camp has responded by questioning Malami’s record and drawing attention to ongoing legal proceedings involving the former minister.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to Malami, his family members and companies associated with the assets in a civil forfeiture proceeding. Malami has disputed aspects of the ruling and is challenging it on appeal.
Malami is also facing a separate criminal case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, alongside his wife and son. They have pleaded not guilty, and the matter remains before the court.
Malami and the ADC have rejected attempts to use the legal proceedings as a political indictment of the former minister. The party has previously accused the Federal Government of using state institutions to intimidate opposition figures, while Malami has maintained that the legal matters should be allowed to follow due process.
The latest dispute therefore extends beyond the personal records of the two politicians, with both camps seeking to frame the 2027 contest around governance, experience, development and public trust.
Governor Idris’ camp is presenting his background in teaching and organised labour, as well as the administration’s development record, as evidence of his suitability for another term. Malami’s campaign, on the other hand, is positioning his experience at the federal level and its promises on security, education, healthcare and economic development as alternatives for voters.
