Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration over the recent revocation of presidential pardons earlier approved for some convicted individuals, including persons found guilty of serious crimes such as drug trafficking and kidnapping.
Atiku described the move as an act of “acting before thinking.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, signed by Phrank Shaibu, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice President, described the President’s decision to cancel the pardons as “an act of shame, not wisdom,” accusing the government of being reactive and lacking foresight.
“Once again, Nigerians have witnessed a government that doesn’t lead — it reacts,” he said.
“This U-turn is not an act of wisdom, it’s an act of shame. If Nigerians had kept quiet, would convicted drug lords and kidnappers be walking free today under the President’s blessing?”
Atiku also questioned how the initial list of pardon beneficiaries was compiled and approved, demanding accountability from those involved in the process.
Who compiled the list? What criteria justified freeing kidnappers and drug offenders? Where was the Attorney-General when this absurdity was cooked up?” he asked.
He argued that the episode reflects a recurring pattern of poor decision-making by the Tinubu administration — one in which, according to him, policies are announced without proper consideration and later reversed following public backlash.
“This pattern has become too familiar — announce the unthinkable, watch the country erupt, then hurriedly reverse course as if governance is a game of trial and error,” he said.
The statement further stated that a presidential pardon should represent justice and mercy, not a reward for impunity.
