The Nigerian Presidency has given reasons for a controversial pardon given to two former governors, Jolly Nyame and Joshua Dariye.
Both Governors jailed for fraud and corruption have been granted pardons which will lead to their immediate release from prison. The move was largely criticised by Nigerians who felt that it was ‘unfair’ and a dent to the anti-corruption war.
However, in a statement on Wednesday, signed by Presidential Media aide, Garba Shehu, both governors were pardoned because of Ill-health.
“The Presidency wishes to throw light on the recent note presented to the Council of State, on the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, PACPM as a culmination of a process begun by the convicts and others concerned in line with the Constitution.”
“The Federal Government constituted the PACPM on August 28th, 2018 with the mandate of assisting the President in the discharge of his constitutional responsibility of granting pardon/clemency to convicts or ex-convicts in deserving cases.”
“These accrued cases followed the established process of applying for pardon or clemency first to the Correctional Service (formerly Nigerian Prison Service), which must certify claims made, be they of life-threatening ill-health, (as in the cases of Governors Dariye, Nyame; John Joshua Uloh, Engr Umar Bamalli, Sa’adu Ayinla Alanamu, Charles Ihenatu, Akinwumi Ajayi and tens of others making the approved list of 159; or such cases arising from remorse and good conduct or plainly on the basis of compassion among other stated criteria.”
The statement continued: “412 inmates were interviewed and 162 were recommended to the Council of State by the President in the exercise of his powers, pursuant to Section 175 (2) which requires that he should carry out this function after being “advised by the Council.”
