The immediate past Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has stated that decisions regarding presidential pardons are legal matters handled by a designated committee, with the Attorney General’s role limited to presenting the committee’s report.
Malami speaks as Obasanjo rates Buhari’s FG “worst in corruption”
Malami made this clarification in an interview with The Punch on Friday, March 14.
The former AGF spoke while reacting to the allegations by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s newly released book, Nigeria: Past and Future.
In the book, one of two newly released to mark Obasanjo’s 88th birthday, alleged that corruption was at its worst under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, with Malami playing a key role in enabling corrupt practices.
According to Olusegun Obasanjo, Malami had strongly advised Buhari to grant the pardons and that the process was tainted by corruption.
Recall that during Buhari’s tenure, two former governors, Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State, who had been convicted of fraud were granted presidential pardons.
The Council of State, presided over by Buhari in April 2022, granted them pardons on the grounds of age and ill health.
But Obasanjo alleged that, it was later discovered that neither Dariye nor Nyame had life-threatening illnesses, as initially claimed.
Malami to Obasanjo: “Presidential pardons are legal, not political”
Reacting, Malami strongly refuted the claims, insisting that the process of granting pardons is strictly regulated by law.
“Generally speaking, the issue of pardon is a legal matter governed by law and existing legislation, in which a committee on the prerogative of mercy— not the Attorney General — is responsible,” he stated.
Speaking further, Malami explained that his role as Attorney General was limited to presenting the committee’s report to the Council of State.
“The responsibility for actions and inactions associated with the committee’s recommendations lies with the committee, not the Attorney General.
“Our system and polity are characterised by wild and unsubstantiated allegations of corruption relating to official acts of governance, both locally and internationally. We have witnessed unguarded allegations even against our well-respected presidents during international media engagements. The Hard Talk interview of President Obasanjo is a relevant case in point,” Malami said.
FG reacts as Obasanjo declares Buhari’s govt “most corrupt”
Earlier, President Tinubu’s government reacted as Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was described as the worst in Nigeria’s democratic history.
