Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s newest use of the presidential pardon, describing it as a reckless act that undermines justice and accountability.
In a press release posted on his X deal with, yesterday, Atiku mentioned the presidential prerogative of mercy is supposed to steadiness justice with compassion, to not trivialise criminality.
He faulted the newest spherical of pardons, saying it has lowered the method “to a mere triviality.”
President Tinubu had, on Thursday, granted clemency to 175 convicts and former convicts, together with the late Main Common Mamman Vatsa, Main Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, Maryam Sanda, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and different members of the Ogoni Eight.
In keeping with a press release from the Presidency, the choice adopted suggestions by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Legal professional-Common of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
The clemency additionally coated individuals convicted of great crimes reminiscent of murder, unlawful mining, and fraud.
Reacting, Atiku condemned the inclusion of such offenders, arguing that it undermines public confidence within the felony justice system and, in his phrases, “emboldens criminality.”
He maintained that the train of clemency ought to by no means turn into an confederate to crime or erode the foundations of justice.
“Ordinarily, the facility of presidential pardon is a solemn prerogative — an ethical and constitutional instrument designed to mood justice with mercy and underscore the humanity of the state,” Atiku said.
“When correctly exercised, it elevates justice and strengthens public religion in governance. Regrettably, the newest pardon issued by the Tinubu administration has performed the very reverse.
“The choice to increase clemency to people convicted of grave crimes reminiscent of drug trafficking, kidnapping, homicide, and corruption not solely diminishes the sanctity of justice but additionally sends a harmful sign to the general public and the worldwide group in regards to the values this authorities upholds.”
He added that at a time when Nigeria is battling insecurity, ethical decline, and rising drug-related offences, it was “each stunning and indefensible” for the Presidency to prioritise clemency for people who’ve undermined nationwide stability and social order.
Atiku described as notably worrying the revelation that about 29.2 per cent of these pardoned had been convicted for drug-related crimes, noting that the transfer was insensitive to the nation’s wrestle towards narcotics and the vulnerability of Nigerian youths.
“Much more disturbing,” he mentioned, “is the ethical irony that this act of clemency comes from a President whose previous stays clouded by unresolved points regarding the forfeiture of 1000’s of {dollars} to the USA authorities over drug-related investigations.”
The previous Vice President famous {that a} presidential pardon ought to symbolise restitution and ethical reform, not mockery of justice.
“What we’ve got witnessed is a mockery of the felony justice system, an affront to victims, a demoralisation of regulation enforcement, and a grave damage to the conscience of the nation,” he mentioned.
“Clemency mustn’t ever be confused with complicity. When a authorities begins to absolve offenders of the very crimes it claims to be combating, it erodes the ethical authority of management and emboldens lawlessness. Nigeria deserves a management that upholds justice, not one which trivialises it.”
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