PRESS STATEMENT ON THE STATEMENT CREDITED TO THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY, ABUJA, ON THE PARDON GRANTED SOME NIGERIANS
BY MR. PRESIDENT
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today summoned the Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States of America Embassy to protest a statement credited to the Spokeswoman of the Embassy, Deb MacLean on the Embassy’s Twitter account stating that it is ‘‘deeply disappointed’’ over the pardon granted to former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. The Embassy of the United States of America is also reported to have described the pardon as ‘‘a setback in the fight against corruption’’ in Nigeria.
In the protest conveyed via a diplomatic note, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the comment from the US Embassy in Abuja, which it described as undue interference and meddlesomeness in the internal affairs of Nigeria.
It pointed out that this was not the first time a Government in Nigeria or elsewhere would grant state pardon to individuals who have committed one crime or the other. The Ministry further stressed that the pardon granted is entirely consistent with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
The Ministry finally expressed the hope that the Embassy of the United States of America would henceforth desist from making unwarranted comments on Nigeria’s internal affairs which are capable of undermining the friendly relations that exist between them.
PUBLIC COMMUNICATION DIVISION
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,
TAFAWA BALEWA HOUSE
ABUJA
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