ADC slams Tinubu over pardon for drug traffickers, calls it national disgrace

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has stronglycriticised President Bola Tinubu’s recent decision to grant presidentialpardons to several convicted drug traffickers and smugglers. In a statement issued on Sunday, and signed by its NationalPublicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the move as“pathetic and a national disgrace.” According to Abdullahi, the decision amounts to “a mostirresponsible abuse of the presidential power of mercy.” He said the pardons were granted to people convicted ofserious crimes like drug trafficking and smuggling — many of whom have “barelyserved two years in jail for offences that carry a penalty of lifeimprisonment.” The ADC accused the government of sending the wrong signalto the public and the international community, saying it suggests that “all ittakes to get presidential clemency for even the worst of crimes in Nigeria,including drug trafficking, gun running, and murder, is to ‘show remorse andlearn skills.’” The party stressed that such clemency “strikes at the veryfoundation of Nigeria’s legal and moral stance against narcotics” and “makes amockery of the gallant efforts” of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) and other security agencies that have “risked life and limb” to fightdrug crimes. It further warned that the pardons could damage Nigeria’sreputation globally, saying they, “undercut our standing among global partnersin the fight against drug trafficking” and make the country appear “a risk-freejurisdiction for traffickers in narcotics.” The ADC accused President Tinubu and the ruling AllProgressives Congress (APC) of “redefining the standard of morality” in Nigeriaand “gradually transforming the country into a place where even the worst ofcrimes attract no punishment.” The statement then reaffirmed the party’s commitment to“rescue our country from this ruling party, the APC, to whom public opinion oraccountability means nothing, and power and impunity mean everything.”

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