Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the recent presidential pardon and clemency by President Bola Tinubu as a “reckless” and dangerous move that emboldens criminality.

“Tinubu’s reckless use of presidential pardon undermines justice and emboldens criminality,” Mr Abubakar said in a statement on Sunday, less than 24 hours after Mr Tinubu’s government released the full list of the beneficiaries of presidential pardon.

On Thursday, Mr Tinubu granted presidential pardons to former House of Representatives member Farouk Lawan, convicted of a fuel subsidy scam; Nweke Francis Chibueze, serving a life sentence for cocaine trafficking; and several others.

The former vice president said Mr Tinubu’s “decision to extend clemency to individuals convicted of grave crimes such as drug trafficking, kidnapping, murder, and corruption not only diminishes the sanctity of justice but also sends a dangerous signal to the public and the international community about the values this government upholds.”

Mr Abubakar recalled the president’s involvement in a drug trafficking scandal that saw him forfeit $460,000 to the U.S. government in 1993, stating that it is not surprising that his “administration continues to demonstrate a worrying tolerance for individuals associated with criminal enterprise.”

“Even more disturbing is the moral irony that this act of clemency is coming from a president whose own past remains clouded by unresolved and unexplained issues relating to the forfeiture of thousands of dollars to the United States government over drug-related investigations.

“Particularly worrisome is the revelation that 29.2 percent of those pardoned were convicted of drug-related crimes at a time when our youth are being destroyed by narcotics, and our nation is still struggling to cleanse its image from the global stain of drug offences,” the politician said.

Mr Abubakar stressed that presidential pardon—a constitutional instrument that symbolises restitution and moral reform—elevates justice and strengthens faith in governance when properly exercised.

He stated that, however, “What we have witnessed is a mockery of the criminal justice system, an affront to victims, a demoralisation of law enforcement, and a grave injury to the conscience of the nation.”

The politician maintained that it was shocking and unjustifiable that Mr Tinubu “prioritises” clemency for the beneficiaries who undermined national stability through their actions, especially at a time when the country battles insecurity, moral decay, and drug offences.

Mr Tinubu’s involvement in a drug trafficking scandal that saw him forfeit $460,000 to the U.S. government in 1993 has continued to feature in public discussion since it reemerged shortly after he declared interest in contesting the presidency in 2022.

In 2022, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois released fresh documents holding Bola Tinubu’s encounter with American authorities over allegations of narcotics trafficking and money laundering.