ARMY RESTORES DIYA, ADISA, OTHERS’ RANKS

The authorities of the Nigerian Army are set to restore the ranks of all former military officers who were granted state pardon last week by the National Council of State.

The affected officers are former chief of general staff (CGS), Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya, the late Maj-Gen. Abdulkareem Adisa, Major Bello Magaji and Major Segun Fadile.

A former managing director of the Bank of the North, Shettima Bulama, and a former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, also benefitted from the state pardon. The duo were convicted for corruption cases during the administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo.

Military sources told LEADERSHIP Sunday that Diya and co would also have their gratuities and pensions paid to them.

This was confirmed by the director, army public relations, Brig-Gen. Attahiru Ibrahim, when he explained that all the former military officers pardoned by the federal government last week would now have their ranks restored and their pensions and gratuities paid.

“Although the issue of state pardon is a political matter since the alleged coup to which they were convicted is a treasonable offence against the state which attracted capital punishment, it was the state pardon that was granted by the president through the Council of State that restores their ranks and by implication entitles them to gratuities and pensions.

It is the same state they allegedly violated its law that reversed the sentences pronounced on them. Let me tell you categorically that, until the state pardon, none of them was entitled to any pension or gratuity,” he said. 

Although the like of Lagos-based lawyer Mr Femi Falana said Gen. Diya and others who were implicated in the 1995 coup against the late head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha, were pardoned by his successor, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar in 1999, checks revealed that there is a difference between clemency or amnesty and state pardon.

Also yesterday in Yola, Adamawa State, former head of state Gen. Yakubu Gowon said he did not accede to a state pardon by the administration of Second Republic president Shehu Shagari because he did not commit any offence to warrant the treatment.

He said following the murder of head of state Gen. Murtala Muhammed, speculations became rife that he was part of those who contrived the assassination of Muhammed, warranting former President Shagari to extend a state pardon to him which he rejected because he did not commit the offence.

Gowon also appealed to Nigerians to accept the state pardon extended to Alamieyeseigha who was convicted for fraud in good faith.

A source close to Gen. Diya said persons faulting the gesture of the Council of State were ignorant of the difference between amnesty and state pardon: “It is true they were granted amnesty and which led to their freedom from prison but while Obasanjo administration lasted they were not pardoned and this was why nobody paid them their pensions and gratuities.” This tallied with the position of Gen. Diya himself who spoke from London.

The source said, “If they had been pardoned, they would have been receiving their pensions and gratuities but none of them was paid anything since 1999. They had been working behind the camera appealing to the government to grant them the pardon, but until President Jonathan and the Council of State intervened in their matter, they were still having the tag of ex-convict but now a Daniel has come to judgement.”

Diya reportedly said he was not aware Gen. Abubakar granted him any pardon. But, in a telephone interview from abroad, Diya debunked the allegation that he was granted state pardon in 1999 for his role in the phantom coup against Gen. Abacha.

According to him, “if it was done in 1999, I have not been paid what I am supposed to be paid: pension, gratuity, et cetera. So, I only believe that since there was nothing mentioned about it -- the gratuity and pension -- it has not been done.”

The Ogun State-born former CGS said if it had been done in 1999, then, there should have been a formal letter written to him.

He continued: “There was no letter, no payment, no gratuity. But like this one that has been announced now, I know there will be a letter from the secretary to the government of the federation, formally informing me about this decision and all that goes with it.”

Revealing his mood about the state pardon, Diya said, “I feel good, I feel very happy. The only remark I would have is that I wouldn’t be happy if anybody is left out on the phantom coup list because I am not sure of the list yet. Some names are there, others are not there. Somebody is telling me that General Olarenwaju’s name is not there.”

LEADERSHIP Sunday can also authoritatively report that no sooner had President Jonathan won the last election than Gen Diya and Edwin Jando began the campaign, urging him to be magnanimous to them by granting them state pardon which they were denied by the Obasanjo administration due to a cold war between Obasanjo and Diya as exclusively reported by our sister paper on Thursday.

Shortly before travelling abroad, Gen. Diya told our correspondent that he was pursuing the course in honour of those that had died with the dishonour tag for the crime not committed. According to him, Col Akiode and the late Adisa deserved the posthumous pardon “for the punishment meted unto us for the crime not committed. It is my sincere hope that President Jonathan would revisit the matter in our favour”.

Gowon told journalists that he saw nothing wrong with the state pardon granted Alamieyeseigha, political godfather of President Goodluck Jonathan, because he had suffered so much including served  a jail term and also forfeiting many of his properties.

”Alamieyeseigha has served jail term and has paid up the moneys he was accused of stealing; therefore it is good for Jonathan to grant him pardon in order to get him rehabilitated,” he said.

Gowon said he rejected the word “pardon” in the attempt made by Shagari’s administration to grant him state pardon because, if he accepted it, it would prove his culpability in the aborted coup plot against head of state General Murtala Mohammed.

Source: Leadership