Sagay blasts critics of Alamieyeseigha’s pardon

Constitutional Lawyer Itse Sagay has described the presidential pardon granted former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and six others, by the National Council of State as constitutional.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the Council of State reserved the right to pardon repentant Nigerians, provided they wrote petitions to that effect.

Sagay, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said that there was no limit either to the number of times presidential pardon could be granted or the number of people to be granted presidential pardon at any point in time.

Speaking on comments by some Nigerians who were questioning the inclusion of Alamieyeseigha in the presidential pardon, Sagay said there was nothing wrong with the action. He said Alamieyeseigha had served the necessary punishment for the offences he committed and reserved the right to be granted pardon.

He called on Nigerians who insisted on the former governor’s removal from the list to desist from being vindictive.

Sagay said that there was no rationale behind such comments, noting that Alamieyeseigha sought for pardon after serving the necessary punishment meted out to him and deserved to be pardoned.

“ I don’t know why people are vindictive. This man was convicted, went to prison, served his prison term, forfeited quite a lot of his assets and he’s been living a fairly good life, contributing to the polity in a positive way. Why are we pursuing him still and why this vindictiveness among Nigerians. The man has gone to prison for corruption, lost his position as governor and has paid the full price for corruption.”

Sagay urged Nigerians to focus more on corrupt Nigerians who are walking freely on the street rather than focusing on the former, whom he said, had paid for his offences.

“They are chasing Alamieyeseigha, meanwhile, there are other corrupt governors who looted their state resources and have only been charged. As I speak, they are representing us in senate and all over the place. Nothing has happened to them and Nigerians are not talking about them.

“There is a governor that the court has granted an injunction that, he should not be investigated and not be taken to court. They are not saying anything about that rather they are chasing someone, who has fully paid for his offences.”

Sagay said that “the former governor reserved the right to be rehabilitated and accepted back into the society not only based on legal principles but also based on social law.”

He added that all convicts including the poor, had the right to petition for presidential pardon, provided they had served necessary punishment and had become repentant.

“The Council of State has the right to grant pardon to anybody they like and there is nothing wrong with that.It is a constitutional right, so we can’t question that. It is also not a qualified right, as the State Council can grant it to anybody, including the poor, provided the person in question petitions them seeking exercise of the power.

“Also, there is no limit at all in terms of the number of time the council can grant pardon to citizens. It is an open ended right that can be granted to anybody as provided in section 275 of the constitution.”

Sagay called on Nigerians to pursue the war against corruption in meaningful areas, rather than concentrating on a man whom he said had fully paid for corruption.

The National Council of State had on March 12, granted presidential pardon to former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, and late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua,.

Also pardoned were former Bank of the North Managing Director, Mohammed Bulama; Retired General Oladipo Diya;

the late General Abdulkareem Adisa; Major Bello Magaji and Muhammad Biu.

The Presidential pardon was, however, confirmed on March 13, by the Senior Special Assistant for Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr Doyin Okupe.

The Council of State comprised of President Goodluck Jonathan, all former heads of government, all former Chief Justices of Nigeria, the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, all state governors and the Attorney General of the Federation.