Workers at the Khadimiyya for Justice and Development Initiative, a foundation established by Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), have received “operational vehicles” to support their activities.
The donation — which included Toyota Prado, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz vehicles — has, however, sparked varied reactions on social media, especially following Malami’s recent declaration to contest the Kebbi governorship.
Malami had, on April 28, announced his intention to contest the Kebbi governorship election in the 2023 general election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on the distribution of the vehicles which took place over the weekend, Yusuf Rasheed, special adviser to the Kebbi governor, who represented Malami, said the donation was part of efforts to ensure that the humanitarian activities of the foundation reach the grassroots.
Also, in a statement on Monday, Umar Gwandu, spokesman to Malami, denied reports that the vehicles were donated to APC delegates in Kebbi.
According to him, the donation was to “long-term workers” of the foundation.
“It is a mischievous and misconstrued information. It was friends and associates of Malami who donated and distributed vehicles to long term workers in the Khadimiyya Foundation,” the statement reads.
“The occasion was not for distribution of vehicles to any APC stakeholder. None of the APC stakeholders or delegates in Kebbi State was given any vehicle by Malami.”
Among persons who received the vehicles are officials of the foundation, as well as representatives of the Khadi Malami Foundation, another non-governmental organisation (NGO)