Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration over the recent cancellation of presidential pardons earlier approved for some convicted individuals.
Atiku said the move shows a lack of foresight and described the government’s decision as “acting before thinking.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku faulted the presidency for what he called a pattern of hasty decision-making followed by public backlash and reversals.
“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 beneficiaries for clemency was compiled and approved.
“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.
According to him, the incident reflects a recurring lack of proper consultation and critical thinking in the Tinubu administration.
“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 added.
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The former Vice President emphasised that a presidential pardon should symbolise justice and mercy, not a reward for impunity.
“A presidential pardon is not a social experiment. It is a sacred constitutional power meant to reflect justice, mercy, and national interest not to reward impunity or test public patience,” he said.
Atiku called on the government to publish the full list of individuals who were initially recommended for pardon, including their offences, to promote transparency.
“If the President truly means well, let him publish the list of all those who were meant to benefit from this scandal. Let Nigerians see the names, the crimes, and the hands that signed off on this reckless indulgence,” he said.
He concluded that the government’s reversal was nothing more than an attempt at damage control.
“Until then, this cancellation is nothing but damage control too little, too late,” he stated.