State pardons on corrupt convicts will undermine corruption fight

It took us by surprise when the news broke to the nation that the National Council of State presided by President Muhammadu Buhari has endorsed the pardon of Dariye, Nyame and 157 other convicts. The decision of the National Council of State came at wrong time and it seems the council did not consider the fact that corruption in the country has retarded the growth of Nigeria today.

It seems that the PMB’s government has not weighed the implications of the state pardon before the pronouncement as such extra-legal interferences would only encourage political thieves and other opportuned public servants to embezzle public treasury and go unpunished.

In any ideal society and a country at large, the essence of punishing people for committing crimes is to ensure they make restitution to the victims and to deter other people from engaging in criminal activities, amongst others. Nigerians are at loss as to why the president granted such pardon despite his acclaimed anticorruption stance.

Certainly, President Buhari’s decision has violated his oaths of office and allegiance to defend the Constitution. In my humble view, the pardon will nurture and elevate corruption to a fundamental objective and directive principle of state policy. It is so sad and counterproductive in addition to the moral implications of granting pardon to ex-convicts and serving prisoners.

Granting such pardon has really tarnished his (Buhari) credibility and his stand on corruption. He is under the public court because, crimes are vices that should not be tolerated by any government. It shows that the administration is sabotaging it’s own anti-corruption fight with state pardon granted to convicted ex governors and others. Whatever reason for this misdemeanor decision, history will not be kind to the administration and its leaders for condoning corruption.