Northern States Civil Society Networks condemns Buhari for pardoning convicted governors

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has been accused by the Conference of Northern States Civil Society Networks (CNSCSN) of demoralising the nation’s anti-corruption agencies with his granting of amnesties to convicted looters.

Last week, President Buhari took the bizarre step of pardoning 159 convicts including two former governors who were convicted for financial malpractices in what appears to be an open negation of his administration's anti-corruption policy. A Council of State meeting chaired by the president opted to release the convicts, including former Plateau state governor, Joshua Dariye and the ex-governor of Taraba State Jolly Nyame.

Pointing out that this kind of action has a negative effect on the fight against corruption, CNSCSN chairman Ambassador Ibrahim Waiya,  described the pardons as unfortunate and shocking. He urged President Buhari to stop demoralising the nation’s anti-corruption agencies and focus on tackling Nigeria's pressing economic woos.

In addition, the group admonished President Buhari to, as matter of urgency, reverse his decision on state pardon granted to the corruption convicts in the interest of Nigerian citizens. According to CNSCSN, if he failed to do so, it would be left with no option but to canvass for the support of other civil society organisations within and outside the country to pass a vote of no confidence on the federal government.

Ambassador Waiya said that the decision taken by President Buhari, through the Council of State, has dampened the anti-corruption agencies’ resolve to contain the cancer of corruption in the country. Regrettably, he said, President Buhari, who rode to the corridor of power under the guise of fighting corruption, his government’s actions and policies are against the efforts to support and strengthen the anti-graft institutions in the country.

 “It has come to our notice that, President Muhammadu Buhari, has through the Council of State pardoned two former state governors who were jailed for stealing public funds in 2018 and were yet to serve half the length of their jail terms in prison. This is rather unfortunate, shocking and at best, paradoxical coming from a man who rode to the corridor of power under the guise of anti- corruption.

"Corruption over the years in Nigeria had gradually succeeded in causing a loss of trust and a breakdown of social capital in governance. High inflation has also taken a toll on household’s welfare and high prices of essential commodities and the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics said in 2020 that 40% or 83m Nigerians live in abject poverty.

“Although Nigeria’s poverty profile for 2021 has not yet been released, it is estimated that the number of poor people will increase to 90m or 45% of the population in 2022. One would have thought that the current administration will preoccupy itself in solving the pressing economic woos of the nation, rather than demoralising the anti- corruption agencies effort and dampening their resolve to contain the cancer of corruption in the country,” Ambassador Waiya added.

He explained that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission under the leadership of Abdulrasheed Bawa has reignited Nigerians’ hopes through its diligent prosecution of high profiled corruption cases.