The controversial pardon
granted some ex-convicts
by President Goodluck Jonathan has sparked a diplomatic standoff between
Nigeria and the United States,
with the Americans
threatening to punish Nigeria
over Mr. Jonathan’s action. Nigeria has in turn accused the
United States of
“meddlesomeness”. The U.S. had through its official
twitter handle
@USEmbassyAbuja on Friday
condemned Mr. Jonathan’s
action, saying, “the #USG
(United States Government) is deeply disappointed over the
recent pardons of corrupt
officials by GON (Government of
Nigeria).” It added, “We see this as a
setback in the fight against
corruption.” A State Department official has
now said the American
government is not taking the
matter lightly and might apply
sanction as appropriate. Speaking at the U.S.
Department of State’s daily
press briefing in Washington
D.C. late Friday, Spokesperson
Victoria Nuland said the
development in Nigeria might jeorpardize the governance
projects America is executing
in Nigeria. The U.S. is the world’s top
donor. In 2012, it spent about
$226 million on health and
governance programmes in
Nigeria. And about $600million
has been requested for 2013, according to U.S. government
data. In response to a question on
whether aid to Nigeria might
be cut, Ms Nuland said, “We see
this as a setback for the fight
against corruption, and also for
our ability to play the strong role we’ve played in supporting
rule of law and legal
institution-building in Nigeria,
which is very important for the
future of the country
obviously.” She added, “We have made
clear to the Nigerians that this
puts a question mark on the
kinds of work that we’ve been
trying to do with them. “We haven’t yet taken the
kinds of steps that you’re
suggesting Matt (the reporter
who asked the question), but
we’re continuing to look at
what’s appropriate.” Meanwhile, Nigeria’s foreign
ministry has summoned a top
U.S. diplomat to explain why its
embassy posted critical
comments on Twitter over a
presidential pardon given to the Nigerians convicted on
corruption charges. The Nigerian officials filed an
urgent request to speak to the
U.S. deputy chief of mission
over what it described as
“meddlesomeness.” In a statement Friday, the
ministry claimed the pardon
granted Messrs Alamieyeseigha
and Bulama is entirely
consistent with the provisions
of the Nigerian Constitution. The ministry said it hoped “that
the Embassy of the United
States of America would
henceforth desist from making
unwarranted comments on
Nigeria’s internal affairs which are capable of undermining the
friendly relations that exist
between them.” President Jonathan and the
National Council of State had
granted ex- Bayelsa Governor,
Mr. Alamieyeseigha and ex-
boss of the defunct Bank of the
North, Shettima Bulama pardon in a move condemned by civil
society and other interest
groups. Both men had been convicted
for corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC. Mr. Alamieyeseigha, who chose
Mr. Jonathan as his running
mate for the Bayelsa
Governorship election in 1999,
pleaded guilty to financial
misappropriation and was sentenced to two years in
prison. Some members of the Council
of States had told PREMIUM
TIMES that it was clear from
the president’s mien and
actions at the meeting that the
pardon was targeted at Mr. Alamieyeseigha with the
others only used as
smokescreen. The ex-Bayelsa Governor’s
name was the first on the list
of the pardon beneficiaries
read by the president to
attendees at the meeting
including three former Nigerian heads of state. Mixed reactions Nigerians have, however,
reacted differently to the U.S.
reaction. While some say the
U.S. has by its actions showed
that it would not support the
seemingly pro-corruption action of the government,
others accused the American
government of meddling in
Nigerian affairs especially
when its former presidents
also pardoned similar ex- convicts. “Who condemned USA when
they pardoned Oliver North and
the then president over Iran
contra,” a commentator by the
name Ben Growp posted on
PREMIUM TIMES website.

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