The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Bola Tinubu of encouraging impunity by favouring individuals with questionable records while sidelining Nigerians who have served the country with integrity.

Naijaonpoint reports that PDP made this claim after President Tinubu withdrew the pardon earlier granted to 175 convicts, including drug traffickers, kidnappers and fraudsters, following public outrage that trailed the initial clemency list released on October 11.

The party’s Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, in an interview with Punch on Wednesday, said that the confusion over the list exposes the disorganisation within President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

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.”

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