By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Five former Heads of State Thursday attended the National Council of State meeting in Abuja presided over by President Muhammedu Buhari and among other things ratified the presidential pardon granted to late Professor Ambrose Alli, ex-governor of the defunct Bendel state, 1979—1983, (now Edo and Delta) states), over N900,000 fraud and three other Nigerians.
Although Prof. Ali later refunded the alleged money to government, he was convicted for the offence he was accused of.
Other prominent persons pardoned by the Council of State are Col. Moses Effiong (Rtd); Major E.J Olarenwaju (Rtd) for attempted coup in the President Ibrahim Babangida era) and Ajayi Olusola Babalola.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) who addressed State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting which was attended by former Heads of states – General Yakubu Gowon, General Ibrahim Babangida; Chief Earnest Shonekan, General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Goodluck Jonathan revealed that the ratification follows his presentation of a memo, relating to the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy.
According to him, “The memo presented for consultation in line with one of the constitutional requirements and consideration of grant of pardon to 45 persons, two inmates for pardon, 39 inmates for clemency and four ex-convict for presidential pardon.
“To further clarify on the prerogative of mercy, Mr. President with COVID-19 pandemic, has directed the decongestion of our correctional centers across the country. And by way of collaborative action, the governors, heads of courts across the nations, have worked assiduously in collaboration with the presidential committee on decongestion of our correctional centers and at the end of the day we have succeeded in taking out over 4,000 inmates out of our correctional centers across the country.
“What we have today is a consolidation of what has been done and the strategies put in place to see to the decongestion of our correctional centers.
“As you are aware, more than 70 percent inmates in our correctional centers were awaiting trial across the country and a lot of considerations were put in place to ensure our correctional centers are decongested d the prerogative of mercy was one of such considerations by Mr. President.”
Malami said the the Council of State also approved the appointment of two new legal practitioners as members of Federal Judicial Service Commission. He explained that the law confers on President Buhari the right to appoint members of the federal judicial service commission, subject to consultation with the council of State.
Said he: “The exercise this morning relating to the presentation of the council memo was for the purpose of fulfilling the constitutional righteousness relating to the appointment of the two new legal practitioners, in essence it is to consult with the council of state out of desire for compliance with constitutional requirements.
“The two members to represent Nigerian Bar Association on the federal judicial service commission are Namoso Ekanem (SAN), from Akwa Ibom state representing the South South geo-political zone and
Mammud Abubakar Mogaji (SAN) from Niger State to represent the North Central geo-political zone”, Malami concluded.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, who also spoke to the State House Correspondents on his part said Council of State also approved the appointment of Silas Agara, as Chairman of National Population Commission.
Members of the Commission also approved are: Muhammed Chuso A. Dottijo, (Sokoto); Alhaji Razaq Gidado, (Kwara); Ibrahim Mohammed, (Bauchi); Joseph Kwai Shazin, (FCT); Engineer Bala Almu Banya, (Katsina); and Mrs Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, (Lagos).
Recall that the Nasarawa state governor, Abdullahi Sule had denied media report that he joined forces with the Chief of Staff to President (Muhammadu Buhari), Prof Ibrahim Gambari to stop the appointment of Agara as Chairman NPC.
President Buhari had in two separate letters dated March 20 and August 12, 2020, nominated Agara, a former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, to head the NPC.
The SGF said apart from former President Olusegun Obasanjo, that was absent, the meeting was attended by all living former Nigerian leaders.
Mustapha said Council members also commended the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on national response on COVID-19. He said the Council noted the impact of the pandemic on the nation’s economy and the fact that it has exposed the weaknesses in the system.
The members however, appealed to Nigerians to continue to adhere to non-pharmaceuticals measures put in place pending when vaccines will be found for the virus.
National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Mungonu (rted), briefed on the security challenges facing the country and that approved the setting of
National center for control of small and light weapons to be domiciled in his office.
The Director General of Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, who stood in for the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, said he briefed Council on the nation’s troubled economy because of the twin effect of COVID-19 pandemic and drop in oil and it is expected that Q3 will be negative and the country might fall into recession.
