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President Muhammadu has the power to stop an ongoing trial and may order a pardon upon conviction in accordance with Nigerian laws, although he cannot stop the investigation of anyone.
The Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, who dropped this hint on Tuesday, through his Twitter handle, also said as long as there are reasonable grounds, the nation’s laws do not place duty on investigation agencies to seek the President’s permission before charging serving or former government officials to court.
He, however, noted the President cannot and does not intend to order investigation agencies to not investigate anyone in the case of the two officers of the government disengaged yesterday, or any other circumstance.
Shehu said after President Buhari had taken the administrative action by relieving the former Secretary to the Federal Government (SFG), Babachir Lawal and the ex National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Director General, Ambassador Ayodele Oke, of their posts, all other actions will be taken by relevant government agencies.
He said, “the President under our laws can, through the Attorney General enter a nolle prosequi to stop an ongoing trial. He may upon conviction, orders a pardon.”
Shehu added that President Buhari, “who is fully conversant with the provisions of the constitution will not stop the investigation of anyone because he has no such power under the laws. This is a decision of the Supreme Court.
“Based on his wish and desire for a strict observance of the law, the President expects the EFCC, ICPC and such agencies to proceed with ongoing investigations.”
Shehu said the clarification was necessary as members of the public had asked what the next line of action would be after government’s axe fell on Lawal and Oke.
“The position of the President, therefore, is that investigation agencies which have already commenced commenced the investigation of the two officers removed from office will go on with their work of investigation without any interference or hindrance,” he emphasized.
It is recalled that members of the public and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had accused the government of shielding Lawal and Oke from punishment over corruption allegations before the two were shown the way out of office.
