The presidency has clarified why it pardoned Joshua Dariye, ex-governor of Plateau, Jolly Nyame, former governor of Taraba and others who were serving various prison terms over corruption related offences.
The former governors were among 159 inmates granted pardon at a council of state meeting held on April 14.
The gesture had elicited condemnations by Nigerians.
However, a statement by President Muhammadu Buhari a presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said the pardon was granted due to ill health after a review of their conditions.
Shehu said, “The Committee filed its first report in March 2020 and reconvened on Thursday, 28 September 2021 to attend to the myriad of pending applications for presidential pardon and clemency from Nigerians across the country.
“These accrued cases followed the established process of applying for pardon or clemency first to the Correctional Service, which must certify claims made, be they of life-threatening ill-health, (as in the cases of Governors Dariye, Nyame; John Joshua Uloh, Engr Umar Bamalli, Sa’adu Ayinla Alanamu, Charles Ihenatu, Akinwumi Ajayi and tens of others making the approved list of 159; or such cases arising from remorse and good conduct or plainly on the basis of compassion among other stated criteria.
“The PACPM members, under the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, followed up the recommendations with a visit to selected Correctional Centers in several states of the Federation to ‘critically’ appraise and identify potential cases of convicts and ex-convicts before recommending them for presidential pardon/clemency and reduced sentences.
“In this round of the exercise, 412 inmates were interviewed and 162 were recommended to the Council of State by the President in the exercise of his powers, pursuant to Section 175 (2) which requires that he should carry out this function after being ‘advised by the Council’.
