Much ado about a presidential pardon

By Tunde Rahman

The past week showed however radical tin easy misconstrue well-intentioned actions of the government. After the statesmanlike pardon and clemency were handed down to immoderate Nigerians and a fewer foreigners, aggravated contention had erupted.

Indeed, immoderate commentators and analysts person been truthful vocal against the clemency, peculiarly arsenic it relates to cause trafficking and superior offence convicts.

Following the consultation with the Council of State connected Thursday, October 11, President Bola Tinubu granted immoderate reprieve to 175 persons. The reprieve was based connected the recommendations of the Presidential Committee connected the Prerogative of Mercy, headed by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi.

Pardoned posthumously by President Tinubu were foremost nationalist Sir Herbert Macaulay; writer and worker Major-General Mamman Vatsa; the writer and environmentalist, Ken Saro-Wiwa and his 8 chap Ogoni activists, arsenic good arsenic the 4 Ogoni leaders considered his antagonists. Also pardoned were immoderate jailed amerciable miners, nationalist officials recovered blameworthy of corruption, remorseful cause offenders and superior offence convicts, including Maryam Sanda, who is connected decease enactment for sidesplitting her hubby successful 2017 successful a matrimonial row. The past 2 categories are the astir controversial. I volition dwell connected them shortly.

The database of beneficiaries of the statesmanlike reprieve is agelong and comprehensive. The committee went arsenic acold backmost arsenic what transpired during the pre-independence era. For instance, the pardon granted to Macaulay corrected the historical injustice done to him by the British Colonialists. The lawsuit of the Ogoni 4 and Ogoni 9 killings that occurred successful November 1995 during the subject dictatorship of precocious General Sani Abacha was to engender implicit reconciliation successful Ogoniland. This statesmanlike motion has been wide applauded successful Ogoniland and the full South-South geopolitical zone.

Presidential Spokesman Bayo Onanuga had explained successful the connection announcing the pardon that President Tinubu granted the clemency due to the fact that astir of the convicts had shown capable remorse and bully conduct. Others were owed to aged age, acute aesculapian conditions, acquisition of caller vocational skills oregon enrolment successful the National Open University.

It indispensable beryllium pointed retired that the presidency afloat disclosed the pardon arsenic a substance of afloat disclosure and transparency. Some different governments volition typically disguise the implicit list, knowing it would make controversy. This unfastened motion signifies that the Tinubu authorities has thing to hide.

Contrary to the erroneous suggestions by immoderate people, determination was nary ulterior oregon governmental motive to the pardon.

However, whether successful Nigeria oregon different jurisdictions wherever presidents person the powerfulness to workout the prerogative of mercy, the workout is ever controversial.

A akin tempest was ignited during the Second Republic erstwhile President Shehu Shagari pardoned erstwhile warlord Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu for his relation successful the country’s 30-month civilian war. Public outrage besides greeted the afloat and unconditional pardon granted successful 2013 by erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan to his erstwhile brag and ally, the precocious Bayelsa politician Diepreye Alamieyesiegha, who was convicted of stealing millions of dollars.

The statesmanlike pardon and the effect it usually elicits are nary antithetic internationally, peculiarly successful the United States. President Bill Clinton reportedly signed 140 pardons connected January 20, 2001, his past time successful office. This included 1 for his younger half-brother, Roger Clinton, who was convicted successful 1985 for cocaine possession and cause trafficking.

According to Newsweek, specified was Roger Clinton’s notoriety that the US Secret Service codenamed him “Headache” due to the fact that of the changeless occupation helium gave President Clinton successful office.

Former US President Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, aft helium had publically pledged not to bash so. Hunter Biden was convicted betwixt January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024, of offences, including weapon running. President Biden besides reportedly pardoned his different relatives who were convicted of sundry offences.

In his archetypal term, President Donald Trump, successful December 2020, pardoned Charles Kushner, the begetter of Jared Kushner, who is joined to his daughter, Ivanka Trump. Jared Kushner was convicted of ...