Ahead of intrigues towards the 2023 elections, the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has blamed politicians with vested interests, particularly those who lost out in the power tussle in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for what they described as media attacks against the duo of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

This was stated by the National President of the NYCN, Comrade Solomon Adodo, who at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, accused these groups of people of trying desperately to discredit the President Buhari administration using the events surrounding the investigation and suspension of Ibrahim Magu as the Acting Chairman of the Economic Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Adodo, who was flanked by other members of the national leadership of NYCN, said since the recent dissolution of APC’s National Working Committee (NWC), some of the party leaders were still disgruntled about the outcome of events. He added that “there is a limit to how they can vent their anger on Mr. President, they have chosen to unleash all their venoms on the Attorney General.”

Adodo asserted that the only aim of the said politicians were to rubbish the determination of Buhari to rid the country of systemic corruption, “but also to destabilise his government so that an eventual takeover is guaranteed.”

He said: “They began by insinuating that if Magu is guilty of corruption, it means the President has altogether lost it. In fact, they claim that by the government allowing him to stay this long, it means the Anti-corruption fight is a charade. But this notion is laughable, because it is the same government of Buhari that is probing him now. But we shall deal with this point later.

“Another group has focused their attention on the Star Chief Law Officer of Federation, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN. Their own antics are infantile, comical and full of delusions that one is forced to pity them. You may have seen a building which they claim that Mr. Malami built for his son. And you may have read of other properties which they unsuccessfully tried to link him to. These have all been found to be nothing other than merchandise in falsehood.”

The NYCN President said that Malami is one of those who are close and genuine to President Buhari because he “understands clearly, what his vision is, and does everything within the law to actualise that vision.”

On why some APC leaders were allegedly working to discredit the AGF and the President, the youth leader said: “When APC was headed to an avoidable crisis, with litigations everywhere, Mr. President in his capacity as the authentic leader of the party announced his endorsement of a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.”

He said he has “sought highest legal opinions. That legal opinion is now credited to the Attorney General, Mr. Malami. But we dare add here, that if it was Malami alone that gave the President that legal opinion, he gave a very correct legal advice, the APC should remain very grateful to him.

“While the party issue was a matter of subtle plots and psychological combat, the probe of Mr. Ibrahim Magu which has opened unbelievable can of worms began. Remember that it was Mr. Malami in his capacity as the Chief Law Officer of the Federal Government that insisted, following intelligence and reports, that Magu should be probed. This has angered some powerful quarters.

“There are people who Magu appeared to have worked for, other than the President and Nigeria he was appointed to work for. To these people, Malami is an eternal enemy for doing his job patriotically.

“There is another group that believe that their political ambitions, which they placed above the Party they hope to achieve those ambitions, have been fractured or scuttled by a simple correct legal advice by the Attorney General of the Federation.”

Comrade Adodo, however, thanked Malami “for standing up for the truth, even in the face of dangers. Posterity will remember the good you did.”

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