by Rachel Ogbu

The Federal Government is receiving more backlashing following its decision to grant a state pardon to former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyesiegha, and a former Managing Director, Bank of the North, Shettima Bulama. Most recently the criticism has come from the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.

On Thursday, the NLC urged the Federal Government to withdraw the state pardon granted to the two men who were imprisoned for embezzling public funds.

President Abdulwahed Omar of the NLC said the decision was bound to send a wrong signal about the FG’s promise to eradicate corruption in the society.

Omar said their crime were too heavy for such a pardon even though both men technically had a right to a state pardon like any other citizen.

“We are alarmed by the decision of the National Council of States to pardon Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was impeached as a governor and eventually convicted by a properly constituted court for stealing public funds, and Mr. Shetima Bulama, a former Managing Director of the Bank of the North, who was also convicted for misappropriating the bank’s funds.

“While we appreciate that the Council of States does have a constitutional responsibility to pardon citizens, who have obviously been convicted or punished in the past for offences, it is totally unacceptable that those who committed economic crimes in such magnitude that affected public interest be granted state pardon.

“We still wonder what message the National Council of state is sending to Nigerians if at the height of unprecedented corruption in the country those prosecuted and jailed for stealing public money are granted state pardon,” the union said.

The Punch reports:

Also, a coalition of civil society groups on anti-corruption and good governance has asked the President to reverse pardon granted Alameiyeseigha.

Speaking on behalf of the group, on Thursday, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre, Mallam Auwwal Rafsanjani described the decision to pardon Alameiyeseigha as unfortunate.

He said, “This action of the Jonathan administration raises concerns about its commitments to the acclaimed fight against corruption.

“It is a naked dance in public place, especially when weighed against the arrogant and contemptuous manner with which the Presidency has told Nigerians that it has no apology for the Presidential pardon.”