As the dust that greeted the recent state pardon granted the former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyesiegha is still raging , a clergyman in Rivers State and founder of Integrity & Faithful Ministers Network, Worldwide, Bishop( Dr) Friday Nwator said there is nothing wrong with the decision. Nwator stated this in an exclusive interview with The Newswriter in Port Harcourt in reaction to spate of criticism against the said clemency. According to him, the President has the right as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the prerogative of mercy to grant pardon to anybody convicted of an offence. The man of God who said he moved the motion at the Constituent Assembly in the First Republic that gave birth to prerogative of mercy in Nigeria, queried why emphasis should be laid on Alamieyesiegha alone, leaving other beneficiaries. “Is it because he is from the same state (Bayelsa)with Jonathan that if he is qualified for state pardon he will be denied?, or what is it that Jonathan has done wrong that people are crucifying him for. I think the President should be treated with little dignity and respect, which should also be reciprocated, after all ,he was duly elected by all Nigerians.” The bishop reminded the people that even the United States’ (US) president grants state pardon when necessary. Bishop Nwator who is also the founder of Nigerian House of Peace Ministries , said he had worked as a medical doctor for 44 years, served as the President of All Nigerian Doctors and has been a bishop for 11 years, as well as a holder of OON of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The man of God said he is ready to assist president Jonathan in his transformational agenda, even without a prize, to move the country forward. The Bishop said he was moved to take this decision because he is convinced that most of the Aides of Jonathan are not telling him the truth or assisting him enough in his onerous task to govern the country.
On the high level of insecurity in Nigeria, especially in the north, Nwator said northerners are very good people, but their leaders are the ones causing these problems, even the boko haram.The elder statesman said the only thing that will bring peace in this nation is for us to respect one another. He further reiterated that the northern elders have a role to play by bringing out the boko haram insurgents for a meaningful dialogue with Federal Government to ascertain their grievances, as some of them did during the militancy era in the Niger Delta. “It is only if their demands are genuine that amnesty could be considered”, the bishop explained.##
Barth Ndu
