THEREFORE, In Line with keeping the true faith of Nation-Hood and as we Celebrate Our Centenary "100 Yrs of UNITY" as One Amalgamated State the idea of granting State Pardons to convicted and incriminating Nigerians as the constitution permits is obviously a Not a Bad idea...
For it remains a wonderful experience embracing the likes of Gen. Diya, DSP Alameisiegha and others to the folds of Patriots once more as their relevance and importance may not be over emphasized towards the positive development of the Country.
Even as the Constitution aptly provides the basis and principles of this conduct which I may not want to contest, even as the likes of AL-MUSTAPHA comes in mind in times like this, undermining the fact that his conviction still remains pending for his dedication to Service and Loyalty remains an asset to Our thriving Democracy.
God Bless NIGERIA!
MOA,
WHERE JONATHAN'S PRESIDENTIAL PARDON CAME FROM
Presidential pardons are used all over the world and have their basis in Matthew 6: 12 “and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.” The principle is also found in the Qur’an which says “But if you pardon and exonerate and forgive, Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Qur’an, 64: 14]. The principle is that just as it is in the Bible and the Qur’an, where God promises not to remember our sins when we seek forgiveness and are pardoned, Presidential pardons have the effect of treating a conviction as though it never happened. It removes the stigma and restores the convict to normal life. The pardon is a prerogative of a grantor.
In Nigeria, there have been several Presidential pardons of which the most well known include the Presidential pardons President Shehu Shagari granted to General Yakubu Gowon for his role in the coup that led to the death of General Murtala Mohammed and Col. Chukuwemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu for his role in the Nigerian Civil War. Also, General Abdulsalami Abubakar granted a pardon to General Olusegun Obasanjo for his convictions for treason by the administration of his successor, General Sani Abacha.
More recently, President Olusegun Obasanjo granted a Presidential pardon to former Speaker of the House of Representatives , Alhaji Ibrahim Salisu Buhari in respect of his conviction for forgery and perjury. President Obasanjo also granted pardons to 13 individuals who were convicted alongside himself during the 1995 coup trial.
In the United States of America from whom Nigeria copied her present Presidential System of government, there have been a plethora of Presidential pardons of which the most notable appear below.
Most famously ex-President Richard Nixon received a full and total pardon for all his crimes against the United States by his successor, President Gerald Ford.
24 hours before leaving office President Bill Clinton pardoned 140 individuals including Marc Rich who was indicted for evading more than $48 million in taxes, and charged with 51 counts of tax fraud, as well as running illegal oil deals with Iran during the 1979-1980 hostage crisis. His partner, Pincus Green, was also granted a pardon.
Roger Clinton, Bill Clinton's half-brother, was granted a pardon for his conviction of cocaine possession by his brother, President Bill Clinton.
Carlos Vignali, convicted of drug trafficking, and Glenn Braswell, convicted of mail fraud and perjury, were both pardoned by President Bill Clinton after Hillary Clinton's brother, Hugh Rodham, lobbied for them.
Susan McDougal, Clinton's former business partner during the infamous Whitewater deal, was granted a full pardon by President Bill Clinton for her 1996 convictions of mail fraud, aiding and abetting in misapplication of Small Business Investment Corporation funds, aiding and abetting in making false entries, and aiding and abetting in making false statements.
Six individuals, Caspar W. Weinberger, Elliott Abrams, Duane R. Clarridge, Alan D. Fiers, Clair George, and Robert C. McFarlane, who were involved in the Iran-Contra scandal involving selling arms to Iran and using the proceeds as well as drug money to support the contras in Nicaragua, were pardoned by President George Herbert Walker Bush.
President Jimmy Carter pardoned anyone who fled the United States or failed to register in an attempt to avoid the Vietnam Draft.
Armand Hammer was convicted of making illegal contributions to Richard Nixon's presidential campaign. He was pardoned by President George Herbert Walker Bush.
Peter Yarrow was convicted for "taking immoral and improper liberties" with two minors who had come to his hotel room looking for an autograph. He was pardoned by President Jimmy Carter.
G. Gordon Liddy was convicted of conspiracy, burglary, and illegal wiretapping for his role in Watergate. He only served four and a half years of a twenty-year sentence before his sentence was commuted by President Jimmy Carter.
Mark Felt and Edward Miller were convicted of breaking into Vietnam protesters' homes and offices without warrants during Nixon's Presidency. These two former FBI agents were in the midst of appeals when they were pardon by President Ronald Reagan.
Ira Gladding had been sentenced to fifteen years in prison for mail robbery. He was given a pardon by President Ulysses S. Grant.
Michael Mullen was charged with election fraud and sentenced to one year in jail. He was pardoned by President Grover Cleveland.
Charles W. Morse was convicted and sentenced to fifteen years in a federal penitentiary for the "misapplication of bank funds to serve his own ends and falsification of books and reports." He was pardoned by President William Howard Taft.
Oscar Collazo was convicted for the attempted murder of President Harry Truman. He was pardoned in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter.
-@MOAgbajoh
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