Critics of Alamieyeseigha’s pardon are ignorant — Presidency

The Presidency on Saturday said those who have been criticising the presidential pardon granted a former governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, and others by the National Council of State after a meeting on Tuesday in Abuja were doing so out of “sophisticated ignorance.”
The pardon granted Alamieyeseigha who President Goodluck Jonathan had earlier described as his political benefactor drew the anger of stakeholders who believed that the exercise negates the government’s claim on anti-graft war.
Also granted pardon were a former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, late Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua; ex-Chief of General Staff, Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya; ex-Minister of Works, the late Brig.-Gen. Abdulkarim Adisa; ex-Minister of Comminucations, Maj-Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju; Major Bello Magaji; Mohammed Lima Biu; and an erstwhile Managing Director of Bank of the North, Shettima Bulama.
While featuring on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast programme of Channels Television monitored by our correspondent, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said commentators’ views on the pardon smacked of ignorance.
Abati said, “There has been a lot of ignorance about what has happened, and sophisticated ignorance. But I respect the fact that part of our responsibility is to explain to people.
“The first thing to note is what a state pardon is not. One, a state pardon does not mean that an individual was not convicted at a particular time; in fact state pardon means that you have been convicted for a particular crime and you have been punished.
“The pardon within the view of the constitution means a forgiveness of what you have done and an opportunity to give you a chance to be reformed, to reintegrate back into the society.
“So a man who has been given a state pardon, the fact still remains that this particular person has been convicted of a crime, has served the punishment, but the state has granted him pardon which restores corporal right.”
Abati said the purpose of meting out punishment to an offender was not to destroy the person but to serve as a deterrent.
He added that modern jurisprudence also provides an opportunity for such person to be reintegrated into the society.
He said granting Alamieyeseigha and others pardon was constitutional since it was in accordance with the provisions of  Section 175 of the Constitution which grants the President the powers and prerogative to grant pardon, remission, communal, reprieve and relief among others.
While saying that granting pardon was not an act of arbitrariness, the presidential spokesman said there was a laid down procedure which includes application from those seeking pardon,  Committee on Prerogative of Mercy chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation who makes recommendations to the President and the President in turn consults with the Council of State before a decision is taken.
Abati said what the framers of the law intended to do with the procedure was to ensure that although the power was exercised within the discretion of the President, there was no abuse and that there is proper consultation.
Concerning views that some people ought to have benefitted from the gesture, Abati said since pardon was not a ‘Father Christmas’ activity, where persons who think they deserve state pardon could apply.