By Miriam Humbe
In the spirit of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, has inaugurated the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM), as a significant step towards promoting justice, rehabilitation, and human rights in Nigeria.
Segun Imohiosen, the
Director of Information & Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF disclosed this in a statement signed on Wednesday.
Sen. Akume who inaugurated the 15 members committee said: “Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) confers special powers of prerogative of mercy on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“This power enables the President to grant pardon to any person convicted of an offence created by an Act of the National Assembly.”
The SGF said that the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy is an administrative body with the mandate to provide and facilitate a seamless and smooth exercise of the power by the President.
The institutional representative on the Committee are as follows:
*Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice – Chairman
*Permanent Secretary, Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs – Member
*Representative, Nigeria Police Force – Member
*Representative, Nigerian Correctional Service – Member
*Representative, National Human Right Commission – Member
*Representative, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) – Member
*Representative, Christian Association of Nigeria – Member
Other members of the Committee are:
Justice Augustine B. Utsaha, Prof. Alkasum Abba, Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi, SAN, Prof. (Mrs) Nike Y. Sidikat Ijaiya,
Director, Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs – Secretary
PACPM within its four-year tenure will play a critical role in supporting the dispensation of justice in relation to the decongestion of correctional facilities, particularly in ensuring that eligible and deserving prisoners and ex-convicts are recommended for the consideration of the President.
Attorney – General of the Federation and Minister of Justice who serves as the Chairman assured Mr. President that the committee will deliver adequately in assisting him to discharge his Constitutional responsibility of granting pardon and clemency to convicts or ex-convicts in deserving cases and reintegrating them into the society.
