The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated President Bola Tinubu following the recent withdrawal of the pardon earlier granted to 175 convicts, including drug traffickers, kidnappers and fraudsters

The list, TheNewsGuru.com(TNG) understands that stirred a public outrage that trailed the initial clemency list released on October 11.

Reacting, PDP called out President Tinubu for encouraging impunity by favouring individuals with questionable records while sidelining Nigerians who have served the country with integrity.

The party’s Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, in a recent interviewsaid that the confusion over the list exposes the disorganisation within President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

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Osadolor stated, “This back and forth over the list of pardoned offenders further amplifies the level of disorganisation within the ranks of the presidential aides and the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in general. These policy somersaults, which have continued to affect and turn the lives of ordinary Nigerians upside down, are also evident in the handling of this particular list.

“It is as though, one moment a decision is made in the morning, another is reversed in the afternoon, and by evening, the same decision is reviewed again. This back and forth is unacceptable. A well-thought-out policy process should not be subjected to such public ridicule and confusion as we are witnessing now.

“Again, this situation reflects where the steadfast loyalty of the President and his aides lies. It appears misplaced. While the government should be focusing on identifying and punishing hardened criminals, it seems instead to be protecting or rehabilitating them.

“Meanwhile, millions of soldiers who lost their lives defending Nigeria, and those who fought during the civil war, as well as nationalists and patriots such as environmentalist and humanitarian activists like Ken Saro-Wiwa, remain unrecognised and uncelebrated. Yet, known gunrunners, drug peddlers, murderers, and assassins are being pardoned or having their convictions reduced. The President is pardoning individuals previously convicted of heinous crimes, after initially granting them amnesty. Even with the outcry from well-meaning Nigerians, this would have been a disaster and a slap in the face of justice and national integrity.

“These trends and misplaced priorities reflect a troubling regionalisation of governance and a disregard for national cohesion. One wonders where the loyalty of the President, his aides, and his government truly lies, is it to serve the Nigerian people or to protect elements working against the nation’s progress?”

The PDP Deputy National Youth Leader urged President Tinubu to resign if he cannot effectively manage the country’s affairs.

He continued, “Some of these individuals, rumoured to be his friends or associates from past affiliations, appear to benefit unduly from government decisions.

“Nigeria is too great a country to be subjected to this kind of endless experimentation with the lives, emotions, and livelihoods of its people.

“Just as the government has wavered in addressing insecurity, food scarcity, and economic instability, its policies have remained inconsistent and ill-conceived. I would advise the President: it is neither a crime nor a shame to step aside. Even if he completes only one term, he will still be respected globally as a former President of Nigeria.

“On this note, I urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to search his conscience. If he truly means well for Nigerians, this is the time to step aside honourably. Let him not wait for Nigerians to vote him out of power, because by then, he may not even be in full control of the process.”

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of $49,700 recovered from Nura Ali, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Sokoto State, during the 2023 general elections.

Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Wednesday, October 29, following an application filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Counsel to the ICPC, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, informed the court that the commission had complied with an earlier order for temporary forfeiture of the funds and published a public notice inviting any interested parties to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited.

He noted that since the publication, no individual or entity had come forward to claim ownership of the funds or challenge the forfeiture.

In his ruling, Justice Nwite said he found merit in the application, stating:

“I have listened to the submission of the learned counsel to the applicant and I have also gone through the affidavit evidence. I am of the view that the application is meritorious. Consequently, the application is granted.”

The ruling effectively transfers the $49,700 to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The judge had earlier, on December 30, 2024, granted an interim order of forfeiture after the ICPC and the Department of State Services (DSS) filed a motion ex parte seeking to temporarily seize the funds.

The motion followed the recovery of the money from Ali’s residence in Kano during a DSS operation conducted pursuant to a duly obtained search warrant.

In its supporting affidavit, the ICPC stated that the funds were suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity, noting that INEC does not pay staff in foreign currency. The affidavit was deposed to by Iliya Markus, a litigation officer with the commission.

According to the affidavit, Ali had admitted in an extra-judicial statement that he received $150,000 from former Sokoto State governors Aminu Tambuwal and Aliyu Wamakko, describing the money as a “gift.”

He later wrote to the DSS requesting the release of the seized funds, but investigators noted that he failed to declare the foreign currency as required by law.

Following the interim order, the court had directed the ICPC and DSS to deposit the seized funds in an escrow account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and to publish a notice inviting claims from potential owners.

After no objections or claims were filed, the court has now ordered the permanent forfeiture of the $49,700 to the Federal Government, bringing the case to a close.

There was mild drama at the National Assembly on Wednesday when representatives of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) staged a walkout during a session with the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, was absent and sent a Director, Mufutau Bello, to represent him.

Trouble began when Bello insisted that journalists vacate the meeting room, arguing that the documents he intended to present contained sensitive information.

However, the Committee refused, insisting that its proceedings were public and constitutionally empowered to determine how its sittings were conducted.

In a dramatic turn, the JAMB representative became visibly agitated, ordered his team to leave, and walked out of the session, leaving lawmakers stunned.

Angered by the action, the Committee directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest the JAMB officials, but they had already left the premises.

The Committee has now given JAMB until Tuesday next week for the Registrar to appear in person with his management team and present all requested documents.

Failure to do so, the Committee warned, could lead to the issuance of a warrant of arrest.