You never obeyed court orders as AGF, Onoh tells Malami

By Denis Agbo

Former spokesman for the South-East to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly (FOF-MEHA), Mr. Josef Onoh, has accused former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), of hypocrisy and disregard for the rule of law during his time in office.

Onoh, in a statement issued from Paris, France, urged Malami to stop what he described as attempts to blackmail and intimidate the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, and instead submit himself to ongoing investigations.

The former presidential spokesman was reacting to Malami’s recent call for Olukoyede to recuse himself from investigations involving him, citing alleged conflicts of interest arising from Chapter Nine of the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry report.

According to Onoh, Malami’s claims of “personal vendetta” and “political persecution” against the EFCC were ironic, given what he described as Malami’s own record as AGF.

“It is particularly revealing that Mr. Malami now cries vendetta and persecution,” Onoh said, alleging that during Malami’s tenure as Attorney-General, several high-profile prosecutions were widely criticised as politically motivated, with repeated instances of disobedience to court orders and prolonged detentions.

Onoh recalled the removal of former EFCC Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, in 2020, alleging that Malami spearheaded the process by forwarding multiple allegations against Magu to then President Muhammadu Buhari. He said Magu was arrested, suspended and investigated by the Justice Ayo Salami Panel, which, according to critics at the time, was seen as the outcome of a power struggle within government.

He further alleged that Malami failed to honour a subpoena to appear before the Salami Panel, adding that although Magu was never prosecuted or convicted, his career was effectively ended.

The former South-East spokesman also cited other cases during Malami’s tenure, including the prolonged detention of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), despite multiple court orders granting him bail, as well as the prosecution of former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh.

On the handling of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, Onoh alleged that actions taken under Malami’s watch were widely condemned as suppressing dissent and disregarding court orders.

“These actions exemplified the weaponisation of prosecutorial powers that Malami now decries when the tables are turned,” Onoh stated.

He insisted that the EFCC’s investigation into Malami should proceed without interference, stressing that no former public office holder is immune from scrutiny.

Onoh also dismissed Malami’s reliance on the Justice Ayo Salami Panel report as a basis for demanding Olukoyede’s recusal, arguing that the report did not bar the EFCC from investigating former officials.

“The prior role of the EFCC Chairman as Secretary to the Salami Panel does not create any legal or ethical conflict,” he said, adding that the law on recusal applies to judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings, not routine law enforcement investigations.

He challenged Malami to submit himself to investigation and, if confident of his innocence, defend himself in court rather than resort to public statements.

Onoh further called on Malami to publicly declare his assets as of 2010, before assuming high office, to enable Nigerians compare them with his current holdings.

“The EFCC and its Chairman must remain undeterred. Nigerians demand justice without selective application,” Onoh said, assuring that under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, attempts to undermine anti-corruption institutions would not succeed.

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