Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has stated that corruption did not thrive during the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari, citing thousands of high-profile convictions.
Naijaonpoint reports that Malami, speaking in an interview with ARISE Television on Tuesday night, a few hours after Buhari’s burial, dismissed public claims that his administration tolerated corruption, citing over $2 billion in recovered assets as proof of the administration’s firm anti-graft stance.
He highlighted the immediate past administration’s success in securing international recognition for its anti-corruption drive, noting that Buhari was named Africa’s anti-corruption champion by the African Union and commended by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Malami also referenced the introduction of key financial transparency tools such as the Single Treasury Account (TSA) and Bank Verification Number (BVN), which he credited with plugging systemic leakages.
He said, “During the period of President Muhammadu Buhari, corruption was not thriving at all. If you talk of convictions associated with high-profile corruption cases, the government recorded convictions in the thousands.
“Regardless of the parameters used in the assessment, Buhari has indeed achieved a lot.
“He brought about the Single Treasury Account, which created a governance-wide visibility associated with funding the finances of the government.”
Speaking further, Malami rejected the accusation that the Buhari administration was shielding some political allies from prosecution and ignoring court orders, insisting that the government operated within the legal bounds of the constitution.
He remarked, “When you have a judgment and take a decision to appeal, while filing an application for stay of execution, you are operating within the rule of law. The determinant is not blind compliance, but whether you pursue available remedies through the judicial process.”
He also defended the controversial presidential pardons granted to former governors Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame, stating that they were legal and justifiable.
He added, “The law made provision for the possibility of state pardon in exceptional circumstances,” he said. “They were convicted, but the grant of pardon was lawful. The idea of blame associated with it does not arise.”