The appointment of erstwhile Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari as a member of the Governing Council of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, despite an earlier conviction for perjury and certificate forgery, is justified, the Presidency has said.
According to Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, Buhari was as qualified as any Nigerian to hold such position because he apologized on the floor of the House for his offence and he was subsequently granted state pardon by the administration of former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
“Salisu has brought these comments and they are very controversial,” Abati said. “People are saying that he was convicted for forgery and perjury under Obasanjo’s administration. If you recall after that conviction, he not only apologised on the floor of the House of Representatives, the administration at the time subsequently granted him pardon.”
Abati, who also argued against criticisms that members and loyalists of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were favoured in the governing council appointments of early April, stated that Nuhari’s pardon rendered him as eligible as anyone without an history of convictions.
“Pardon means you can no longer be punished for whatever offense you have committed,” he said, adding that the appointments can only be reversed after protest from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) or from the concerned university.
“It means that your rights have been restored and you can again legitimately act for the society. The pardon says you can’t be shut out of the society. If you have opportunity again to serve your country, of course, you can be asked to be part of the process.”
