Minister's Past Criticism Resurfaces Amidst Presidential Pardon Controversy

As criticism mounts over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's pardon of 175 individuals, including several politically exposed persons, a decade-old tweet by Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has resurfaced. The tweet, in which Keyamo condemned a 2013 presidential pardon granted to former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was convicted of corruption, is being contrasted with his current silence on the latest wave of pardons.

Key Takeaways:

• Festus Keyamo, the current Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, previously condemned the 2013 presidential pardon granted to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha in 2013, describing it as a "national embarrassment" for Nigeria's anti-corruption fight.
• The pardon of Alamieyeseigha, who was convicted of corruption and money laundering, was granted by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013, sparking outrage from anti-corruption campaigners and international partners.
• President Tinubu's recent pardon of 175 individuals, including several politically exposed persons, has drawn criticism from civil society groups and opposition figures questioning the criteria and timing of the clemency.
• The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Transparency Advocacy Network have called for transparency regarding the selection process and criteria used in granting the pardons.
• The resurfacing of Keyamo's tweet has reignited debate about political hypocrisy and selective outrage in Nigeria's governance culture.
• Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was sentenced to two years imprisonment on each of six counts of corruption, served only a short term due to time already spent in detention before his pardon.

Statistics:

• 175 individuals were pardoned by President Tinubu, including several politically exposed persons.
• 6 counts of corruption and money laundering were on which Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was convicted.
• 2 years imprisonment on each count was the sentence given to Alamieyeseigha, though he served only a short term.
• 62 was the age at which Diepreye Alamieyeseigha died in October 2015.

Sources:

• A Twitter post by Festus Keyamo (SAN) in 2013, criticizing the pardon of Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
• BBC News: "Nigeria's ex-Bayelsa governor pardoned", published on 2013-03-09.
• Premium Times: "Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Ex-Bayelsa Governor, Dies at 62", published on 2015-10-09.
• The Guardian Nigeria: "SERAP, Transparency Advocacy Network demand transparency in Tinubu's pardon of 175 persons", published on 2023-03-10.