Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has openly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s latest use of the presidential pardon, describing it as a reckless action that undermines the principles of justice and accountability.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday, Atiku Abubakar noted that the presidential prerogative of mercy is intended to balance justice with compassion.
However, he criticised the most recent round of pardons, saying it has reduced the process to a mere triviality.
President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, granted clemency to 175 convicts and former convicts, including notable 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.
According to a statement from the Presidency, 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 this, Atiku condemned the inclusion of such offenders, arguing that it undermines 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 pointed to the number of individuals convicted of drug-related offences among the pardoned, describing the move as especially concerning in light of Nigeria’s ongoing battle 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.”
