Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of abusing presidential power of mercy by granting pardons and clemency to 175 people.
Atiku, in a statement via his verified X handle on Sunday, said the move undermines the sanctity of justice and risks encouraging lawlessness.
According to him, the prerogative of mercy is meant to temper justice with compassion but has been “trivialised” by the latest round of pardons.
On Thursday, Tinubu granted presidential pardons to 175 persons, including the late nationalist, Herbert Macaulay, the late Major General Mamman Vatsa, and Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death for murdering her husband.
Atiku faulted the inclusion of people convicted of serious offences, stressing that the clemency list weakens public faith in the criminal-justice system and emboldens criminality.
He said clemency must not be allowed to become complicit with crime and diminish justice.
Atiku wrote, “Ordinarily, the power of presidential pardon is a solemn prerogative, a moral and constitutional instrument designed to temper justice with mercy and to underscore the humanity of the state.
“When properly exercised, it elevates justice and strengthens public faith in governance.Regrettably, the latest pardon issued by the Tinubu administration has done the very opposite.”
