Presidential Pardon And Matters Arising -By Sesugh Akume

I learnt Buhari granted pardon to some persons including Professor Ambrose Alli (governor of the now-defunct Bendel state, 1979—1983, now Edo and Delta states), Chief Anthony Enahoro (one of Nigeria’s leading anti-colonialists, who first moved the motion for Nigeria’s independence in parliament), Lt Col Moses Effiong (rtd), Major E.J. Olanrewaju, and Ajayi Olusola Babalola, also a few thousand others as part of their prison decongestion programme.

First, I have a problem with the state pretending to pardon people for what they did NOT do. Claiming to pardon them only attempts to legitimise the grave injustice done them years ago.

There are many others who are victims, wrongly and falsely accused and punished, whose records stand to this day. Two key names I didn’t see on that list caught my attention.

Buhari’s coup in 1983 removed Shehu Shagari, the duly-elected president, from office. Shagari was shortly afterwards banned from participating in politics as punishment (for doing what?) That ban persists to this day.

Not even death made Buhari lift the ban for the record and to preserve Shagari’s name. When Shagari died, Buhari found nothing to write in the condolence register when he visited other than to append his signature, write the date and walk away.

Major Daniel Idowu Bamidele (1949—1986) was an army intelligence officer who on getting wind of the 1983 coup reported to his boss, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) in Jos who happened to be Major-General Muhammadu Buhari. Unbeknownst to Major Bamidele, Buhari, was one of the coupists, he promptly had him arrested and detained (for doing the right thing) as Bamidele narrowly escaped losing his life in the process.

Three years later, after Buhari too was removed by a coup, there was another coup plot, Major Bamidile again got wind of it but couldn’t report it, for obvious reasons, this time. He was murdered on 5 May 1986 along with Major-General Mamman Vatsa and others by the Ibrahim Babangida regime for conspiracy.
No one can convince me that Buhari is (as usual) unaware of these, he simply doesn’t care.

This only goes to show how the heart of man is — desperately wicked.