Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has “openly condemned” President Bola Tinubu’s most recent use of the presidential pardon, calling it a reckless action that undermines the principles of justice and accountability.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday, Atiku Abubakar acknowledged that the presidential prerogative of mercy is meant to achieve a balance of justice with compassion.
However, he criticized the recent pardons, stating that the process has been reduced to a mere triviality.
Read Also: Names Of 175 Nigerians Pardoned By Tinubu [FULL LIST]
The criticism follows President Bola Tinubu’s decision on Thursday to grant clemency to 175 convicts and former convicts.
This group included prominent figures such as the late Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, Maryam Sanda, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and the other members of the Ogoni Eight.
The Presidency stated that the decision was based on recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
The presidential pardon also extended clemency to individuals convicted of various serious crimes, including homicide, illegal mining, and fraud.”
Reacting to the inclusion of these offenders, Atiku argued that the pardons undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system and, in his words, emboldens criminality.
He maintained that the exercise of clemency should never serve as an accomplice to crime or erode the foundations of justice.
“Ordinarily, the power of presidential pardon is a solemn prerogative, a moral and constitutional instrument designed to temper justice with mercy and to underscore the humanity of the state. When properly exercised, it elevates justice and strengthens public faith in governance.
“Regrettably, the latest pardon issued by the Tinubu administration has done the very opposite. The decision to extend clemency to individuals convicted of grave crimes such as drug trafficking, kidnapping, murder, and corruption not only diminishes the sanctity of justice but also sends a dangerous signal to the public and the international community about the values this government upholds.
“At a time when Nigeria continues to reel under the weight of insecurity, moral decay, and a surge in drug-related offences, it is both shocking and indefensible that the presidency would prioritise clemency for those whose actions have directly undermined national stability and social order,” the statement said.
Atiku specifically highlighted the number of individuals pardoned who were “convicted of drug-related offences,” stating that this move was “especially concerning” given Nigeria’s current struggle “against drug abuse and the vulnerability of its youth population.”
“Particularly worrisome is the revelation that 29.2% percent of those pardoned were convicted for drug-related crimes at a time when our youth are being destroyed by narcotics, and our nation is still struggling to cleanse its image from the global stain of drug offences.
“Even more disturbing is the moral irony that this act of clemency is coming from a President whose own past remains clouded by unresolved and unexplained issues relating to the forfeiture of thousands of dollars to the United States government over drug-related investigations.
“It is, therefore, no surprise that this administration continues to demonstrate a worrying tolerance for individuals associated with criminal enterprise.”
The former Vice President further stated that “A presidential pardon is meant to symbolize restitution and moral reform. Instead, what we have witnessed is a mockery of the criminal justice system, an affront to victims, a demoralization of law enforcement, and a grave injury to the conscience of the nation.”
He added, “Clemency must never be confused with complicity. When a government begins to absolve offenders of the very crimes it claims to be fighting, it erodes the moral authority of leadership and emboldens lawlessness.
“Nigeria deserves a leadership that upholds justice, not one that trivializes it.”
See his tweet below:
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