By Farooq Kperogi Why is this Tinubu government so exasperatingly allergic to doing anything right? It issued a news release saying it had ...
By Farooq Kperogi
Why is this Tinubu government so exasperatingly allergic to doing anything right? It issued a news release saying it had reversed its invidious pardon of notoriously cold-blooded murderers, drug barons and kidnappers.
Just when many of us were impressed enough by what appeared to be the government's unaccustomed sensitivity to public outrage and wrote to acknowledge it, it reversed its reversal! Maryam Sanda, the insensate husband killer, will be free in a few years.
Many other coldblooded murderers whose clemency had been reversed have also had their pardons quietly restored in different forms. I doubt that there is any record for this kind of presidential flip-flop in the exercise of presidential prerogative of mercy.
Tinubu chose a matter as sensitive as pardon for notorious criminals to pointlessly dribble, and monkey with the emotions of, Nigerians.
Below was the earlier comment I posted on Facebook commending the government:
I commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reversing his earlier pardon of convicted criminals, including dare-devil drug barons, conscienceless kidnappers, and remorseless but privileged homicidal thugs like Maryam Sanda, who brutally murdered her husband. (I wrote an impassioned column against her pardon two weeks ago in my regular Saturday Tribune back-page column).
This reversal reflects a rare but welcome sensitivity to public opinion and moral conscience by Tinubu. It’s heartening to see a Nigerian leader respond constructively to the outrage of citizens rather than doubling down on a misjudgment.
This is the kind of reflexive leadership and responsiveness to public sentiment that governance in Nigeria desperately needs more of. I hope he extends this sensitivity to the economic sphere and reverse his punishing economic policies.
Postscript
I just learned that Maryam's pardon hasn't been reversed. Her death sentence was only commuted to a 12-year sentence.
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