Former Nigerian leader has revealed his government pardoned ex-Bayelsa governor Alamieyeseigha who was imprisoned for corruption because of Yar’Adua
– Jonathan wrote in his new book that his predecessor ex-president Yar’Adua reached the decision to release the Ijaw leader as part of a Niger Delta peace deal
– Yar’Adua however, died before making the pronouncement and the burden to carry out the decision fell on him
Ex-president Goodluck Jonathan has revealed the real reason he chose to pardon former Bayelsa state governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha even though the action got massive criticism for his administration.
Quoting excerpts from Jonathan’s news book ‘My Transition Hours’, Premium Times reports that the former Nigerian leader said it was his predecessor Umar Musa Yar’Adua who had reached decision but died before the pronouncement.
Legit.ng recalls that Jonathan, on March 12, 2013, pardoned Alamieyeseigha who was his former boss when he was Bayelsa state deputy governor. He was heavily criticized for the move.
Jonathan wrote: “Let me say that after we came to office on May 29, 2007, two major issues that we had to grapple with were the peace process in the Niger Delta and growing menace of terrorism, driven largely by the radical Islamic terror group Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād popularly known as Boko Haram.
“First, our oil production figures were ebbing due to militant activities in the Niger Delta. The federation distributable accrual was dwindling drastically when we took over due to the crisis in the region and president Yar’Adua in seeking urgent solution to increase the revenues of the federation offered amnesty to the militant. One of their demands was that Alamieyeseigha be released from detention and pardoned by President Yar’Adua.
“He accepted their term mandated me to ensure that my former boss accepted a plea bargain and call the militant to order. President Yar’Adua promised to grant Alamieyeseigha state pardon if all parties were brought on board to the negotiation table to restore peace in the region.
“I immediately carried out his instruction. Unfortunately, he passed on before completely fulfilling his promise. When I became president, I granted late Alamieyeseigha a state pardon, in fulfilment of late President Yar’Adua’s earlier commitment.
“Unfortunately, this was frowned upon by some of my strongest critics and some went berserk and haul all manners of insults at me, including accusing me of being ‘clannish’ for granting state pardon to the former governor because he was from Bayelsa State.
“Alamieyeseigha’s pardon like every other goodwill gesture I had made, soon become a tool to be used against me by the opposition.”
Source; legit.com
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