Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has fiercely criticized President Bola Tinubu over the recent reversal of presidential pardons, branding the move as a national embarrassment rather than a display of leadership.
On Wednesday, the presidency released a revised list revoking clemency previously granted to 140 inmates. Among the notable changes was the commutation of Maryam Sanda’s death sentence convicted in 2020 for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello to a 12-year prison term.
Reacting to the development, Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, Phrank Shaibu, told Daily Post that the administration’s actions reflect a troubling pattern of reactive governance. “Nigerians are witnessing a government that thinks after it acts,” he said, accusing the presidency of lacking foresight, empathy, and accountability.
Shaibu lambasted the initial decision to pardon individuals convicted of serious crimes such as drug trafficking and kidnapping, questioning the criteria and oversight behind the list. “This U-turn is not an act of wisdom it’s an act of shame,” he declared. “Had Nigerians not raised their voices, would these criminals be walking free today?”
He further challenged the administration to disclose the full list of intended beneficiaries, their crimes, and the officials responsible for approving the clemency. “A presidential pardon is not a social experiment,” Shaibu emphasized. “It is a sacred constitutional power meant to reflect justice, mercy, and national interest not to reward impunity or test public patience.”
Calling the reversal “too little, too late,” Atiku’s camp demanded transparency and accountability, warning that governance cannot be reduced to a game of “trial and error.”
