Presidency gives reason Buhari pardoned Nyame, Dariye

The pardon granted to former governors of Plateau and Taraba, Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame was not politially motivated, presidency has said.

The two governors were among the 162 inmates who received pardon at last Thursday’s Council of State meeting.

President Muhammadu Buhari at the council of state meeting on Thursday, April 14 granted pardons, under the Prerogative of Mercy, to Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State both serving various jail terms for misappropriation of funds.

The move attracted harsh criticism from Nigerians nationwide with many saying that the Buhari regime had officially pulled out of the anti-corruption fight.

But in a statement signed late Wednesday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the Presidency argued that Buhari would have come across as insensitive and cruel was he had ignored compelling cases recommended for pardon.

The statement is titled ‘Dariye, Nyame pardon in line with constitution, will not derail anti-corruption war by President Buhari.’

It read in part, “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, as a culmination of a process begun by the convicts and others concerned in line with the Constitution.”

It explained that section 175 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) enjoins the President to exercise his constitutional powers “to grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offense created by an Act of the National Assembly a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions; to grant respite, either for an indefinite or a specified period of the execution of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence; substitute a less severe form of punishment imposed on that person for such an offence or remit the whole or any part of any punishment imposed on the person for such an offence or of penalty or forfeiture otherwise due to the state on account of such an offence.”

Of the 412 inmates interviewed, 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.”

The Presidency argued that “the presentation to the Council of States meeting last week, attended by former Presidents, a former Chief Justice and 36 States and the FCT along the lines of its statutory membership was a culmination of a rigorous process, regulated and guided by the law which was not, in any way designed to achieve a political purpose.

“While it is natural that the cases of the ex-governors-two among many- would excite political analysts, coming at a time when elections are in the air, the President would at the same time have come across as insensitive and cruel to most people were he to have ignored very compelling cases recommended for pardon made to him because someone is a former Governor. Even Governors have the right to be treated fairly under the law.

“President Buhari assures the nation that nothing done here was intended to achieve a political end or send a revisionist message on the relentless war against corruption which he has ably and evidently led by personal examples.”