Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on the Federal Government to withdraw and thoroughly review the list of individuals recently granted presidential pardon by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a press statement made available to journalists, Falana said the review was necessary in the interest of justice, transparency, and national morality. He cautioned that the power of pardon should not be used arbitrarily or to shield individuals who have been convicted of serious crimes against the state or the Nigerian people.
According to the senior lawyer, the prerogative of mercy is a constitutional responsibility that must be exercised with caution and guided by the principles of fairness, equality, and moral integrity.
Falana stressed that while the President has the right to grant clemency, such gestures should serve the cause of justice and not undermine public confidence in the fight against corruption, abuse of power, and other forms of misconduct.
He urged the Federal Government to ensure that the list is reviewed by relevant authorities to determine whether the beneficiaries truly deserve the pardon, adding that any oversight in this regard could erode public trust in government institutions and weaken the nation’s moral standards.
Falana’s statement has generated renewed conversation around the criteria for granting state pardon and the need to balance compassion with accountability in the administration of justice.
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