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Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 governorship election in Kebbi State, as the opposition party intensified efforts to reposition itself ahead of the next electoral cycle.
The confirmation of Malami’s candidacy was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, who said party leaders, stakeholders and supporters across the state had affirmed the former minister as the party’s standard bearer.
According to the statement, the ADC also affirmed other candidates for the National Assembly elections in the state, including retired military and security officers expected to strengthen the party’s campaign structure across the three senatorial districts.
Those listed include Aminu Bande as ADC senatorial candidate for Kebbi Central, Ibrahim Muhammad Mera for Kebbi North, and Garba Danjuma Limi for Kebbi South.
The statement read in part: “We remain committed to purposeful leadership, good governance, justice, security, and sustainable development for Kebbi State and Nigeria as a whole.
“Together, with unity and determination, we shall build a more prosperous future for generations to come.”
The development comes weeks after Malami formally submitted his governorship nomination and expression of interest forms at the ADC National Secretariat in Abuja, a move his media office described as the beginning of a “total rescue mission” for Kebbi State.
In an earlier statement dated May 12, 2026, the Office of Abubakar Malami SAN said the former minister’s entry into the governorship race represented “the formal launch of Operation Rescue” aimed at reversing what it described as years of insecurity, economic decline and institutional collapse in the state.
The statement portrayed Malami as a seasoned administrator with extensive experience in national governance, stressing that his ambition was driven by the need to restore public confidence and reposition Kebbi State for sustainable growth.
“This historic submission was completed in full compliance with the party’s guidelines and has since triggered an overwhelming wave of excitement across Kebbi State, where citizens now boldly describe the moment as the formal launch of Operation Rescue to pull the state out of deepening insecurity, economic paralysis, collapsing public schools, crumbling healthcare facilities, and rising despair,” the statement said.
The media office further stated that Malami would focus his campaign on security restoration, agricultural revitalisation, infrastructure renewal and improved social services if elected governor in 2027.
It also accused the current leadership in the state of failing to address critical developmental challenges, including rising insecurity and deteriorating public institutions.
“Malami SAN enters the race not as an ordinary politician but as a tested national leader with eight years of high-level governance experience, ready to deploy strategic competence to restore security, revive agriculture, rebuild infrastructure, and return hope to millions of suffering Kebbi people,” the statement added.
The former minister’s camp also described the ADC as “a rising political force rooted in accountability, inclusion and development,” insisting that the party was offering Kebbi residents a viable alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.
The statement claimed that worsening socio-economic indicators in the state, including out-of-school children, displacement of farmers due to banditry and maternal mortality, underscored the need for urgent political change.
It added that Malami had already commenced consultations across the 21 local government areas of the state as part of efforts to consolidate support for what it termed the “rescue agenda.”
“The people of Kebbi are no longer waiting for relief that never comes; the rescue has officially begun. Every citizen who desires an end to leadership failure is hereby called to join this movement to reclaim Kebbi State from the brink of total collapse,” the statement concluded.
Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and one of the most prominent political figures from Kebbi State, served as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice under former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2015 and 2023.
Political observers believe his emergence may significantly reshape the political landscape in Kebbi State ahead of the 2027 governorship contest, especially as opposition parties intensify mobilisation efforts across the North-West region.
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