President Goodluck Jonathan is facing scathing criticism from a cross section of the Nigerian people which seemed unabated, over a presidential pardon granted to impeached former governor of BayelsaState, Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, convicted for money laundering and corrupt enrichment.
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Former Managing Director, Bank of the North, Mr. Shettima Bulama, also convicted of fraud, are the duo in the list of VIP ex-convicts whose pardon vis- a-vis the fight against corruption caused intense public outrage.
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The target of the presidential pardon was Chief Alamieyeseigha, erstwhile boss of President Jonathan who was Bayelsa Deputy Governor before Alamieyeseigha was impeached and later convicted for financial crimes, paving way for him to become Governor, then picked as running mate of late President Umaru Yar'Adua in the 2007 presidential vote. As fate would have it, President Yar'Adua died of a terminal illness shrouded in utmost secrecy while in office and Goodluck Jonathan emerged president to finish Yar'Adua's term, fielded by the PDP in 2011 presidential election and won
convicingly.
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So it was pay back time for President Jonathan to reward Alamieyeseigha (Governor-General fo the Ijaw Nation) with a presidential pardon to a political benefactor.
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Others who got the pardon announced after the council of state meeting presided over by President Jonathan with some former heads of state, ex- presidents, retired Chief Justices of the federation and others in attendance, were: Late General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, one-time Chief of General Staff during the dreadful military regime of General Sani Abacha, late Major-General Abdulkareem Adisa, former Minister of Works in the Abacha administration, Rtd. Major Bello Magaji, Rtd. Major Segun Fadipe, Mohammed Lima Biu.
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These persons mainly implicated in an alleged coup to topple Gen Abacha, their conviction was seen as political to get rid of those perceived as opponents or enemies of the ruling junta, were probably used as cover to grant pardon to Alamieyeseigha.
That is very correct. The pardon is baseless as far as i am concened. There is absolutely no reason to justify it