2023 Presidency: Malami Speaks On Joint Ticket With Jonathan

The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) has distanced himself from reports suggesting he would run as the Vice presidential candidate to former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2023.

Speaking after some reports emerged about a possible Jonathan/Malami joint ticket, the Minister in a statement through his media aide, Dr. Bashir Gwandu on Monday said the reports are baseless rumours.

It added that Malami is busy with official duties and has never indicated interest in contesting any political post, warning people to stop spreading unfounded rumours.

“2023 is still very far to even talk about it, the attorney has never indicated interest to stand for election with anybody. He advised members of the public to be wary of what they say or post on social media or anywhere, what the minister needs now is to focus more on how to deliver much needed services to the country and that he has been doing and will continue,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court sitting in Awka has reinstated a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo, as the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had in a list released on July 16 picked Michael Umeoji over Soludo as the standard-bearer for APGA.

According to the electoral umpire, the decision was based on court orders.

Festus Okoye, INEC’s commissioner for Information and Voter education, revealed that Musa Ubale, judge of a high court in Jigawa State, had passed judgment in suit JDU/022/21, upholding the suspension of Victor Oye (Chairman of a faction of APGA) and affirming Jude Okeke as the party’s national chairman on June 30, 2021.

Okoye said the commission would continue to act in compliance with the constitution, the laws establishing it, and court orders.

Delivering judgment on the case on Monday, Justice Chukwudi Okaa held the other parties in the suit, comprising Jude Okeke, Edozie Njoku, and Chukwuma Umeoji, were “meddlesome interlopers”.