Pressure Mounts On Nigerian Attorney-General Malami, Central Bank Governor, Emefiele To Resign Today

According to a report by SaharaReporters, Abubakar Malami, the Nigerian Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, and the governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele are expected to resign from office today (Friday), being the last working day before May 16, 2022.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday directed ministers with political ambitions to resign.

They were asked to submit their letters of resignation on or before Monday the 16th of May, 2022. 

According to the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the order excludes the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo because he is an elected member of the cabinet.

President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in a circular obtained by SaharaReporters also ordered all heads of agencies, departments, parastatals, and ambassadors with political ambitions to resign.

The circular with reference number SGF/OP/ I/S.3/XII/ 173 was titled, ‘Ministers, heads of government agencies, ambassadors and other appointees with political ambitions to resign’.

It reads, "Mr President has observed and noted the expression of interest and intention by some members of the Federal Executive Council, Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments, Agencies, Parastatals of Government, Ambassadors and other political office holders to contest the Presidential, Gubernatorial, National and State Assemblies' elections.

"Consequently, Mr President has directed that the affected office holders aspiring to run for various offices in the 2023 general elections should tender their resignation on our before the 16th of May, 2022."

It stressed that for the avoidance of doubt, the directive affects "all ministers, Heads and Members of Extra-Ministerial Departments, Agencies, Parastatals of Government, Ambassadors as well as political appointees who desire to contest for elective offices".

The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who is a presidential aspirant on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had resigned before the directive.

But since the directive, at least three ministers - Rotimi Amaechi of the Ministry of Transportation, Godswill Akpabio of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and Ogbonnaya Onu of the Ministry of Science and Technology, have also tendered their resignations.

Malami is also expected to do so today, before or after the farewell meeting the departing ministers will have with the President at 10 am today (Friday).

Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, on Thursday disclosed that the President would hold a farewell meeting with the departing ministers on Friday at 10 am.

Emefiele's resignation is also expected to come anytime today.

Following recent rumours that he had resigned, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, released a statement on April 7, saying Malami had not yet resigned.

In the statement titled, 'Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, (Dr.) Abubakar Malami, SAN has not resigned,' Malami thanked Nigerians for the demonstration of love and unparalleled interest shown in him.

Even before the President's directive, there had been calls for the resignation of Malami and Emefiele over a history of gross misconduct in office.

Their political ambitions have only added to the calls for their resignation from office.

While Emefiele is eyeing the Presidency in the 2023 elections, Malami has submitted nomination and expression of interest forms for the Kebbi governorship race.

For instance, governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State have recently called for Emefiele's resignation.

Akeredolu, Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum and Ondo State Governor, called for the immediate resignation of Emefiele following the purchase of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential form by the CBN governor.

Akeredolu who stated this in a statement personally signed by him expressed shock and disbelief over the development. He said Emefiele’s action portends great danger to the fragile economy of the country.

SaharaReporters had published a series of expository reports on how Malami and his family members now live in utmost extravagance without the source of their sudden wealth known. SaharaReporters exclusives have unravelled the deep-rooted corruption in the Nigerian system, especially around Nigeria’s number one chief law officer.

The online news medium in one of its reports revealed how one of Malami’s sons with no known history of employment owns a N3bn property in Birnin Kebbi, capital of Kebbi State, known as "AZBIR Arena."

That is not all – the AGF’s sons are known to drive around town in multi-million naira luxury vehicles specially shipped from abroad and customized to their taste with some carrying vanity number plates.

On his own, Malami was discovered to have built a multi-billion naira private school in Kebbi, a luxury hotel in Kano, and a luxury home in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The AGF was discovered to have three houses in Abuja including one he bought in 2020 for N90m in the Gwarimpa area of the city. 

He was said to have torn down the building and remodelled it into a mansion worth around N300m.