A Nigerian constitutional lawyer, Frank Tietie, has argued that President Bola Tinubu has no legal authority to revoke a presidential pardon once it has been granted.
Tietie made the remark during an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday while reacting to Tinubu’s recent decision to review the controversial list of pardoned convicts, which included individuals jailed for serious crimes such as kidnapping and murder.
According to the legal analyst, a presidential pardon, once executed, becomes final and cannot be reversed under the Nigerian Constitution. “At the time the president signed the first list, it was a complete act. He does not have the power to reverse it. Those pardoned were already free,” he stated.
He further explained that the president’s constitutional role does not include exercising judicial powers. “The president is not the judiciary. He cannot exercise judicial powers by saying you are no longer fit for pardon. It is not within his constitutional power,” Tietie added.
His comments came after President Tinubu reviewed the list of 175 pardoned individuals earlier this month, removing those convicted of severe crimes. Among them was Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello. Her death sentence was later commuted to 12 years imprisonment.
The review followed nationwide outrage and strong criticism from rights advocates and the Nigerian Bar Association, who described the initial pardon as “a grave error of judgment” and “an affront to justice.”
Tietie also took a swipe at Tinubu’s policy decisions, saying a truly “listening president” would have reversed the fuel subsidy removal and recent tariff increases. His comments have reignited debate over the limits of presidential powers and the separation of executive and judicial authority in Nigeria.
