Tinubu Is Not Afraid To Reverse Himself Once He Makes Errors – Onanuga
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga has stated that President Bola Tinubu is not afraid to acknowledge errors and make corrections when necessary.
He was reacting after Tinubu reviewed the list of those he granted presidential pardon after being criticized online.
Reacting to Tinubu’s decision to review the list, Onanuga said, “Tinubu is not afraid to reverse himself once he makes errors. This is a president that wakes up in the morning and reads all newspapers, watches TV to monitor news updates.
“He is a compassionate president who is not afraid to check what he has done and take corrections.”
Onanuga explained that Maryam Sanda, whose death sentence for culpable homicide was commuted to 12 years’ imprisonment, was considered on humanitarian grounds.
He said, “Maryam Sanda’s case is complicated because she has children, and the father is no more. Who will take care of them? It was a crime of passion, not premeditated.
“The biological father of her husband, Alhaji Ahmed Bello Isa, even pleaded for forgiveness.”
He clarified that those granted reliefs were given clemency, not full pardons, stressing that rehabilitation, remorse, and humanitarian concerns guided the President’s decision.
“If someone has committed a drug offence, has served a major part of his sentence, shown remorse, and become a reformed person, the state must have a heart of forgiveness,” he added.
Onanuga also revealed that the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy had been transferred from the Ministry of Special Duties to the Ministry of Justice for “better oversight and transparency.”
“What the government has done in this case is to move the duty from the Special Duties office and place it under the Ministry of Justice for better accuracy,” he said.
President Tinubu had earlier exercised his constitutional powers under Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to grant clemency and pardons to several convicted individuals.
But after consultations with the Council of State and public feedback, the President ordered a review of the list, deleting the names of those convicted for serious crimes such as kidnapping, drug trafficking, human trafficking, fraud, and arms dealing.