‘Wolf in Sheep’s Wool’: Kebbi Government and Malami Trade Blows Over 2027 Race

The political fight for Kebbi State in 2027 has gone fully public. The state government and former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami are now trading insults in the open — a sharp contrast to how intra-party disputes in APC states usually play out behind closed doors.

What started it

Malami has been questioning the governance record of Governor Nasir Idris (Kachallah) — raising issues around development, infrastructure, and poverty in the state. The Kebbi government fired back on Thursday, calling Malami “a wolf in sheep’s wool” and accusing him of distorting facts for political gain.

“His recent outings are nothing but a poorly veiled attempt to deceive the people of Kebbi State,” the government’s statement, published by Punch, read. It accused Malami of making unsubstantiated claims about Kebbi’s governance while staying silent on documented achievements in education, agriculture, and road construction during the Idris administration.

Malami’s position

Malami — who served as AGF under former President Muhammadu Buhari and carries significant federal-level connections — has made no secret of his governorship ambitions. He picked his ADC governorship form in Kebbi earlier this month, telling reporters that the state is “under siege from poverty.” Premium Times reported his formal declaration for the race in April.

His camp insists the criticism is based on facts on the ground and that calling it political posturing is itself a deflection from the state’s real problems.

What it tells us about 2027

Kebbi has been APC territory, but the 2027 contest is shaping up as a fight within the party itself — or between a sitting APC governor and a challenger running on ADC. That dynamic alone is unusual. The governor is in his first term. Malami has years of federal connections from his AGF days. Neither side is blinking.

The openness of this exchange — public statements, named accusations, pointed language — suggests both camps know they are already in campaign mode. Primaries are still some way off, but the war has started.

Sources: Punch, Premium Times