It has been observed that President Goodluck Jonathan has recently been criticised at all quarters for an unsual leadership style.
investigation shows that His Excellency was worried that any objection in the Niger Delta region against his ambition could be disastrous to the much needed victory he so desires, hence the need to free some political gurus who could talk to some aggrieved militants in the region.
A reliable insider hinted that Jonathan was banking on the intervention of Alamieyeseigha, in reaching out to the ex-militants, who believed that he had addressed the problems in the Niger Delta enough. According to the source, Jonathan was equally aware of Alamieyeseigha’s plan to run for Senate in 2015. Apart from Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who was pardoned by the Gen. Yakubu Gowon regime, the administration of Shehu Shagari pardoned Gowon and Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, who eventually returned and joined politics .
As recent as 1999, the Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar regime pardoned Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who was convicted and given a long prison sentence by the Sani Abacha junta for treason. The pardon paved way for Obasanjo’s emergence as the president of the country.
The source, said, “Everything is political. Alamieyeseigha has a senatorial ambition; the ex-militants are angry with the President. The President wants the man to intervene and speak with the ex-militants as 2015 approaches.”However, a Special Assistant, Media to the President, Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi, had stated that, “The idea of a presidential pardon was not a novel; it is not happening for the first time; it is not peculiar to Nigeria and there is a process.“People apply for pardon; they apply to the President who considers it and he follows the process.
“He takes it further to the National Council of State which in this case has given its advice, which will be gazzetted.“It is not new; so opposition political parties should not seek to politicise the normal process of government.“If the opposition politicians are in doubt, their attention is called to the fact that one of those in council was Gen. Gowon, who himself was pardoned by Shehu Shagari.
“There was also Gen. Obasanjo, who had to be granted pardon before he could contest election in 1999.“Even Obasanjo himself had to pardon a former Speaker, Alhaji Salishu Buhari, who was convicted of forgery .”
GUYS, WHAT’S YOUR OPINION on this controversial issue?