Democracy Day: President Tinubu to grant presidential pardon to Ibori, Farouk Lawan and others
THERE are strong yet unconfirmed reports doing the rounds in and around the premises of the National Assembly that President Bola Tinubu may take the opportunity of the Democracy Day celebration on Thursday, June 12, 2025, to grant presidential pardon to some ex-convicts who are political gladiators.
Two names that have so far been mentioned are former Delta State governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori and a former member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan [Shanono Federal Constituency of Kano State].
The announcement of the grant of presidential pardon may form one of the major highlights of President Tinubu’s address to the joint sitting of the National Assembly tomorrow, Thursday.
The decision by the President to deploy the platform of the Legislature in consummating his Democracy Day speech is not unconnected with the acceptance of the place of the legislature in the tripartite classification of powers as a constitutional imperative.
The legislature, in the trinity of the arms of governmental powers, is the bulwark upon which constitutional democracy rests. Sans the legislature, democratic governance takes a flight and yields its place for other forms of government.
Another highlight of President Tinubu’s speech at the joint sitting, which had already been confirmed, is the conferment of national honours on a select group of federal lawmakers.
The commemorative event – special joint sitting – is scheduled to be held in the more expansive House of Representatives Chamber.
Proceedings will commence at 11:00 a.m., while President Tinubu is expected to arrive at 12:00 noon to deliver a presidential address as the Special Guest of Honour.
Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Akin Rotimi, had confirmed the development in a statement last Sunday.
the announcement of the presidential pardon for politicians who are ex- convicts may either feature in the president’s speech at the joint sitting or his speech to Nigerians via a nationwide broadcast. There is also a possibility that it may be communicated in a statement by the Presidency.
Ibori is a leader in the Niger Delta region, in addition to being a national figure in Nigeria.
This news medium recalls that in 2012, Ibori was sentenced to 13 years in prison for money laundering in the United Kingdom
