US Condemns Presidential Pardon for Alamieyeseigha

Diepreye Alamieyeseigha

• ‘We see this as a setback in the fight against corruption’

By Yemi Adebowale       

Nigeria;Alamieyeseigha's Pardon: A Wrong Signal

The pardon granted former Bayelsa Governor has not only attracted condemnation both at home and abroad, it has compromised the war against corruption

President  Goodluck Jonathan sent a wrong signal to Nigerians and the international community last week with the state pardon granted to former Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. And in the aftermath of what is now globally described as a classic blunder, the federal government is seen as advertising its inability to set the right tone for leadership while compromising its own avowed commitment to the fight against corruption. Worse still, the fact that it also did not check its own records (which led to an embarrassing second ‘pardon’ in a few instances) has only confirmed the general suspicion that Alamieyeseigha’s pardon was the sole objective of the entire exercise.

At a time most Nigerians seem enraged that those who steal public funds to the tune of billions of Naira find it easy to escape justice; when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is in court against several politically exposed persons, the pardon granted the central character in one of the few successful cases on which a conviction was secured cannot but be demoralising.

While the president reserves the power to pardon repentant convicts, such powers must at all times be judiciously exercised in the national interest and on the side of natural justice, equity and good conscience. The pardon of Alamieyeseigha does not in any way meet the above criteria and has therefore diminished the president in the eyes of Nigerians and the international community. It has also squashed the image and credibility of the federal government.

It is more unfortunate still that the whole untidy issue was handled in such an underhand manner. The last Council of State meeting had an agenda showing that the matter of granting State Pardon to Alamieyeseigha and others was scheduled for discussion. Yet at the end of the meeting, Adamawa State Governor, Mr. Murtala Nyako, who addressed the press on the proceedings and outcome, told Nigerians that it was not discussed. He also conveyed the impression that no one was granted State Pardon at the Council of State meeting he attended. Every reference to State Pardon was strenuously denied until contrary claims began to emerge – at first hazily.