Atiku Aide Blasts Tinubu Over Reversal Of Pardon For Convicts

An aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu for reversing the presidential pardon earlier granted to individuals convicted of serious crimes, including drug trafficking and kidnapping.

Phrank Shaibu, Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, described the reversal as “reactionary” and “embarrassing,” accusing the government of acting only after public backlash.

In a statement on Wednesday, Shaibu said the move showed a lack of foresight and moral conviction. “Once again, Nigerians have witnessed a government that doesn’t lead, it reacts,” he said, adding that the reversal came only after nationwide outrage forced the administration to backtrack.

He questioned the process behind the controversial pardon, demanding to know who compiled the list of beneficiaries, the criteria used to justify their inclusion, and what role the Attorney-General of the Federation played in the exercise.

According to him, the episode reflects a recurring pattern in the Tinubu administration — making questionable decisions, waiting for public outrage, and then reversing course.

Shaibu stressed that a presidential pardon is a serious constitutional matter that must reflect justice, fairness, and national interest, not trial-and-error governance.

He called on the government to publish the full list of individuals who were initially selected for pardon, saying transparency was necessary to rebuild public confidence.

“If the President truly means well, he should make the list public. Until then, this cancellation remains nothing more than damage control,” Shaibu said.

He concluded that the controversy exposed what he described as an administration “governing without foresight, empathy, or shame.”