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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu over the presidential pardon he recently received, describing the decision as “reckless,” “morally indefensible,” and “increasing criminality while eroding people’s faith in justice.”
In a strongly worded statement posted on his X account on Sunday, Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of abusing the constitutional prerogative of mercy, saying the power was meant to uphold justice through mercy – not to trivialize criminality or shield offenders from accountability.
He wrote: “Traditionally, the president’s pardon power is a serious prerogative – a moral and constitutional instrument designed to undermine justice and underscore the humanity of the country. If implemented properly, it would enhance justice and strengthen public confidence in government. Unfortunately, the latest pardon issued by the Tinubu administration has had the opposite effect.”
President Tinubu, on Thursday, had granted pardon to 175 prisoners and ex-convicts, including the late Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, Maryam Sanda, Ken Saro-Wiwa and other members of the Ogoni Eight.
According to a statement from the Presidency, the decision follows recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN. The list also includes people convicted of serious crimes such as murder, illegal mining and fraud.
But Atiku blamed the influx of criminals, arguing that it undermined public confidence in the justice system and “encouraged criminality.”
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“The decision to grant pardon to individuals convicted of serious crimes such as drug trafficking, kidnapping, murder, and corruption not only undermines the sanctity of justice but also sends a dangerous signal to the public and the international community about the values this government upholds,” Atiku said.
He further denounced what he called the “moral irony” of the decision, noting that the President himself has long faced public scrutiny over unresolved allegations related to US court seizures involving drug-related investigations.
“What is even more troubling,” Atiku added, “is the moral irony that this act of clemency comes from a President whose past remains clouded by unresolved issues related to the forfeiture of thousands of dollars to the United States government over drug-related investigations.”
The former Vice President warned that the decision sends the wrong message at a time when Nigeria is grappling with moral decline, insecurity and increasing drug abuse among the youth.
“At a time when Nigeria is battling insecurity, moral decline and increasing drug-related offences, it is shocking and untenable for the Presidency to prioritize clemency for individuals who have undermined national stability and social order,” he said.
He also cited statistics showing that about 29.2 percent of those pardoned were convicted of drug-related crimes, and described the decision as “insensitive” and “a betrayal of Nigeria’s anti-drug campaign.”
“What we are witnessing is a humiliation of the criminal justice system, a humiliation of victims, a demoralization of law enforcement, and serious damage to the nation’s conscience,” Atiku said.
He concluded with a harsh rebuke of the government’s moral compass: “Clemency should not be confused with complicity. When a government begins to absolve offenders of the crimes they claim to be fighting, this erodes the moral authority of leaders and further entrenches lawlessness. Nigeria deserves a leadership that upholds justice, not one that undermines it.”
