There seems to be no end yet in sight for President Goodluck Jonathan over the controversial pardon he granted his former boss; former Bayelsa Sate Governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; as the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a rights group, have dragged the Federal Government to the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) expressing serious concerns over the state pardon granted Alamieyeseigha by the President.
The groups said they considered the pardon to be entirely inconsistent with the country’s international human rights and anti-corruption commitments, and the promises made by the government of Nigeria to the United Nations during its Universal Periodic Review in 2009.
Currently, the United Kingdom said it is still pursuing an extradition of the former governor so he could answer charges of money laundering against him. He had reportedly jumped bail in the country and escaped to Nigeria. The complaint was submitted to the UN as part of an update to the submission made by the groups to the UPR this month.
In 2009, UPR asked the government of Nigeria to pursue its fight against corruption so that all its citizens could enjoy peace, health and security. The government of Nigeria accepted all the recommendation according to the groups.
WEA and SERAP said in a statement released on Thursday by Adetokunbo Mumuni that, “despite these commitments to the international community, the government of Nigeria has not taken seriously its expressed commitment to combat corruption.
“By granting pardon for Alamieyeseigha the government has also seriously undermined the integrity and efficacy of the fight against corruption, eroded the credibility of public institutions (in particular anti-corruption institutions and agencies), undermined the deterrent effects of punishment for corruption, and engendered public cynicism.
“The granting of pardon will also lead to a vicious cycle of corruption and impunity of perpetrators, and this can only continue to rob the government of its capacity to deliver services to the poor, and ensure that corrupt public officials keep the proceeds of their misconduct. This is double jeopardy for the victims of corruption in the country.”
The groups said that the pardon showed the Nigerian government’s lack of political will to genuinely combat high level official corruption in Nigeria, and sends a wrong message that certain individuals who are close to the government will enjoy impunity for their misconduct and will be above the law.
“Because corruption has been an intrinsic part of the way successive governments have operated, it will be impossible for the country to achieve development, sustainability and end poverty and discrimination if corruption persists.
“We are also concerned that the granting of pardon amounts to a fundamental breach of the constitution of Nigeria, which among others requires the president to eradicate all corrupt practices and abuse of power. We hope to see the Universal Periodic Review of Nigeria reflect the concerns outlined in our submission (and this update).”
They include in the UPE outcome document recommendations addressed to the government of Nigeria urging that the government must rescind without further delay the alleged state pardon granted former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and ensure full repatriation and recovery of the stolen public funds by Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
Also included are recommendations that the government must ensure full transparency and accountability in its institutions, improve financial oversight of government’s expenditure and build judicial capacity to enhance the prosecution of corrupt public officials.
Alamieyeseigha was detained in London on charges of money laundering while he was governor in September 2005. He escaped from the UK in December 2005. He, however, pleaded guilty in court to a six-count charge in July 2007, and was sentenced to two years in prison on each count charge.
WEA is a network of churches in 129 nations that have each formed an evangelical alliance and over 100 international organizations joining together to give a world-wide identity, voice, and platform to more than 600 million evangelical Christians while SERAP is a Nigerian based human rights and anti-corruption NGO.
