The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately withdraw the “unfair and undeserving pardon” for ex-governors Joshua Dariye (Plateau) and Jolly Nyame (Taraba).
Dariye and Nyame are said to be among the 159 convicts recently granted presidential pardon by the Council of State at a meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.
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The legal and advocacy organization said the pardon power ought not to be an instrument of impunity for corruption.
The letter, read in part: “While the pardon power is routinely exercised to shield influential politicians from justice, ordinary people who have committed petty offences but with no money or politicians to speak for them languish in prisons and are rarely considered for pardon.
“SERAP, therefore, urges you to urgently withdraw the presidential pardon granted to Dariye and Nyame, and to propose amendment to section 175 of the Nigerian Constitution that will make the exercise of the power to pardon more transparent and consistent and compatible with the country’s international obligations.”
