“Alams, as he is fondly called may have gotten away with a state pardon, he however remains in the black book of the people that matter, the common Nigerian citizens, suffering hopelessly in the hands of a failed, shameless and wicked political class.”
SAN FRANCISCO, March 17, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Constitution clearly gives President Goodluck Jonathan the power to grant clemency or pardon to those he thinks deserve such benevolence. For instance, he may grant pardon to those he believes have paid their debt to the society, are being rehabilitated and demonstrate good citizenship.
Yet, there are times when he or any other president may decide against pardon – especially if such a move has or is likely to have detrimental implications on the collective public morale, policy statements and or national agenda. The case of ex-Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, clearly falls within this purview.
We do not think that Mr. Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha (DSP) should have been granted presidential pardon; hence, we adjudge the President’s action unwarranted and wrong.
While it is true that there are other public officials in Nigeria who have committed similar or more egregious harm than Alamieyeseigha, his is of a special nature: he personifies virtually all that is wrong with the country in terms of political and economic excesses and licentiousness.
Alamieyeseigha may have served his jail time; still he is yet to apologise to the people of Bayelsa State for abusing the trust they placed in him and for mismanaging their resources. In addition, public record shows that he has yet to satisfy the British authority (from where he purportedly took flight at the height of the criminal allegations against him). It is also on record that the very week he was granted state pardon, he had criminal complaints to answer to in the United States of America.
This, then, is a man with unsavoury record both at home and abroad. In view of these and other factors, therefore, we believe that the former governor should not have been granted state pardon. The reasons advanced by the presidency fall short of good and common sense.
In the days and hours since the presidential pardon was announced, many Nigerians have made their displeasure known. Furthermore, the Nigerian media and the global social network are abuzz with disbelief and displeasure. And one of Nigeria’s friends – the United States of America – through its embassy in Nigeria, has also condemned the pardon.
Such outcry is likely to grow at home and abroad – further damaging Nigeria’s fragile reputation. And because Mr. Jonathan is already seen in some quarters as a president whose government is tepid in terms of fighting corruption and corrupt practices, this saga is an added blemish on his private and public reputation.
In general, granting clemency or state pardon can be subject to abuse. And because no one knows the president’s motive for granting this pardon, we can only say that he is wrong to have granted it. It was a monumental mistake on his part. We hope that such egregious mistake does not happen again with this or future presidents.
Alams, as he is fondly called may have gotten away with a state pardon, he however remains in the black book of the people that matter, the common Nigerian citizens, suffering hopelessly in the hands of a failed, shameless and wicked political class.
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