Tinubu’s Presidential Pardon Undermines Justice, Emboldens Criminality – Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent exercise of the prerogative of mercy, describing it as reckless and a threat to the principles of justice and accountability.
In a statement issued via his official X handle on Sunday, Atiku acknowledged that the constitutional power of pardon is designed to balance justice with compassion.
However, he argued that the latest round of clemency has trivialised the process, reducing it to what he termed a political tool rather than a solemn constitutional responsibility.
President Tinubu had, on Thursday, granted clemency to 175 convicts and former convicts, including high-profile names such as the late Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, Maryam Sanda, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and members of the Ogoni Eight.
According to the Presidency, the decision followed recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
The pardon extended to individuals convicted of serious offences, including homicide, fraud, and illegal mining, a development that Atiku said undermines public confidence in the criminal justice system.
He warned that granting clemency to such offenders risks “emboldening criminality” and eroding the moral foundations of justice.
Atiku stressed that the presidential pardon is meant to be a solemn prerogative, elevating justice and strengthening public trust when properly exercised. In his view, the Tinubu administration’s action has achieved the opposite effect.
He expressed particular concern over the number of drug-related offenders among the beneficiaries, noting that 29.2% of those pardoned were convicted for narcotics offences at a time when Nigeria is grappling with widespread drug abuse among its youth.
Atiku further described the decision as morally ironic, recalling unresolved controversies surrounding the President’s past and alleged links to drug-related investigations abroad.
He concluded that the clemency exercise represents a “mockery of the criminal justice system,” an affront to victims, and a demoralisation of law enforcement agencies. In his words, “Clemency must never be confused with complicity.”
Similarly, former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye condemned the pardons, particularly those granted to drug offenders, arguing that the move undermines decades of work by the NDLEA. He described the action as unprecedented and damaging to Nigeria’s anti-narcotics campaign.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) also joined in the criticism, labelling the decision a “national disgrace.” In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party argued that the mass pardon of convicted criminals weakens moral standards, encourages impunity, and tarnishes Nigeria’s international image.
