The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent decision to grant presidential pardon and clemency to individuals convicted of serious crimes, including drug trafficking, describing it as a “national disgrace” and a move that paints Nigeria as sympathetic to drug dealers in the eyes of the global community.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bola Abdullahi, the opposition party expressed deep concern over the release of convicted criminals under Tinubu’s clemency powers, saying the decision undermines Nigeria’s commitment to the fight against illicit drugs and other transnational crimes.
“These pardons send reverberations beyond Nigeria’s borders,” the statement said.
“They undercut our standing among global partners in the fight against drug trafficking and give the unfortunate impression that Nigeria, under President Tinubu, has particular sympathy for drug dealers and is a risk-free jurisdiction for traffickers.”
While acknowledging that the Constitution grants the president the right to pardon offenders, the ADC questioned the timing and justification, particularly for individuals serving life sentences for drug offences, many of whom had served less than two years.
“We wonder what Nigeria stands to benefit from this act of clemency to convicts serving life sentences who have barely served two years,” Abdullahi said.
The party also highlighted the ongoing drug crisis in Nigeria, citing statistics that show the country’s drug use prevalence rate is 14.4%, nearly three times the global average of 5.5%, according to UN reports and national data.
“Nigeria is still regarded as a major transit point for illicit drugs while we face a serious national pandemic of drug use, especially among our youths,” the ADC added.
The ADC argued that the decision to pardon drug traffickers undermines the work of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other security agencies that have risked their lives to dismantle drug cartels and bring traffickers to justice.
“The men and women in these agencies have laboured under enormous risk and pressure to protect the public from the scourge of addiction, trafficking, and related crimes,” the statement said.
“Granting clemency to individuals convicted under such laws strikes at the very foundation of Nigeria’s legal and moral stance against narcotics.”
President Tinubu’s decision, announced last Thursday, included clemency for several high-profile convicts, among them:
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Farouk Lawan, a former House of Representatives member jailed over the fuel subsidy fraud
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Nweke Francis Chibueze, sentenced to life for cocaine trafficking
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Others convicted of murder, fraud, and other serious crimes
A total of 175 convicts were pardoned, according to a statement by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, who explained that the decisions were based on the remorse and good conduct demonstrated by the inmates.
The ADC urged the Tinubu administration to reconsider the impact of such clemency decisions on Nigeria’s justice system and international image.
“The president’s action makes a mockery of the gallant efforts of officers fighting the battle against narcotics and illicit drugs,” the party said.
It also called on the National Assembly, civil society, and the media to demand transparency in the clemency process and ensure that such acts serve justice rather than undermine it.
The party’s condemnation adds to a growing debate over the presidential pardon list, which has sparked reactions from rights groups, legal experts, and the general public concerned about Nigeria’s anti-corruption and anti-drug enforcement credibility.
