Alamieyeseigha: Nigerians demonstrating sophisticated ignorance - Abati

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Reuben Abati, has said Nigerians have so far demonstrated sophisticated ignorance on the state pardon granted convicted former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Dipreye Alamieyeseigha.
Abati, who spoke on Saturday, said that the views of commentators on the issue, especially the fact that some of those on the list that covered Alamieyeseigha had been pardoned by previous administrations, was borne out of ignorance.
Jonathan had come under fire for including the like of late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, retired General Oladipo Diya and late Major General Abdulkareem Adisa on the list of pardoned persons.
The administration of former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, had earlier granted them similar pardon.
But Abati on Saturday, on a Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily, said what Abubakar granted Yar’Adua and his co-travellers, who were convicted of plotting to overthrow the government of late General Sani Abacha was clemency.
He said there is a clear demarcation between clemency and pardon.
He said: “There has been a lot of ignorance about what has happened, and sophisticated ignorance.
“But I respect the fact that part of our responsibility is to explain to people.
“The first thing to note is what a state pardon is not.
“One, a state pardon does not mean that an individual was not convicted at a particular time.
“In fact state pardon means that you have been convicted for a particular crime and you have been punished.”