Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, granted Presidential Pardon to his former Oga At The Top, and one of his aides was quick to shift the blame to the Council of State. Well, here’s what the constitution says. And more…

What does the Nigerian constitution say about #PresidentialPardon? Who makes the decision? Does Council of State vote, or just advise? 1/12

— ‘Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan) March 12, 2013

S175. (1) (a) – (d) says the President may grant any person a pardon, a respite, substituted punishment or remit punishment imposed. 2/12

— ‘Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan) March 12, 2013

S175. (2) “Powers of the President under sub(1) of this section shall be exercised by him after consultation with the Council of State” 3/12

— ‘Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan) March 12, 2013

S175. (3) “President, acting in accordance with advice of the Council of State, may exercise his powers under sub(1) of this section…”4/12

— ‘Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan) March 12, 2013

There we have it. Based on the constitution, only one (wo)man makes the FINAL decision on who to grant #PresidentialPardon. GEJ did it. 5/12

— ‘Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan) March 12, 2013

Now, an important question. Is there any archive showing who was pardoned by which president? That’s the list I wish to see right now. 6/12

— ‘Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan) March 12, 2013

The historic #PresidentialPardon list *may* show a trend. But even if it does, this was a reckless decision considering the context. 7/12

— ‘Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan) March 12, 2013

A nation fighting corruption, and where the Commander-in-Chief has been accused of toying with such, shouldn’t pardon corrupt kinsmen. 8/12

— ‘Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan) March 12, 2013

The timing of this use of (albeit) constitutional power makes it both insensitive and politically dangerous. Might heat up the polity. 9/12

— ‘Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan) March 12, 2013

But for a president who dared citizens to protest and turned around to tag them “opposition,” no heat is worrisome. He’ll do it again. 10/12

— ‘Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan) March 12, 2013

In a democracy, there are ways to check the abuse of (even) constitutional power, but the Nigerian centre is too powerful and corrupt. 11/12

— ‘Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan) March 12, 2013

For this #PresidentialPardon case, hope for future sanity rests on reaction from organised civil society, Nigerian citizens. Quo Vadis?12/12

— ‘Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan) March 12, 2013

The Cyber Dialogue conference, presented by the Canada Centre for Global Security Studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto, convenes an influential mix of global leaders from government, civil society, academia and private enterprise to participate in a series of facilitated public plenary conversations and working groups around cyberspace security and governance.

Governance without Government in Cyberspace?

As cyberspace continues its rapid growth, embedding itself deeper into everything around us and helping to shape our identities, the models, norms, rules, and principles which have until now governed the US-anchored Internet are coming under stress. As cyber demographics shift to the global South and East, alternative models are being developed outside of the Internet’s old North Atlantic core. New rules and norms are spreading as practices grow and diversify. How to govern cyberspace in our intensely globalized world has become an acute public policy issue, for us all.

In the third annual Cyber Dialogue, participants will address questions around the theme of “Governance without Government in Cyberspace?” Phrased deliberately as an open question, we shall interrogate what are the proper roles and limits for public and private authority in cyberspace across a range of fundamental issues. What power can states, private companies, and civil society exercise in this domain? What is the appropriate balance of power among the increasingly diverse set of cyber stakeholders, from the local to the global? Who, and whose values, will set the stage for the future of cyberspace governance? What are the checks and balances?

Blog Posts (from leading experts)

Facing the costs of an open Internet – by Karl Kathuria

Democratic state surveillance, transparency and trust – by Andrew Clement

Against Hypocrisy: Updating Export Controls for the Digital Age – by Danielle Kehl and Tim Maurer

Watching the Watchers: A Role for the ITU in the Internet Age – by Jonathon W. Penney

WCIT-12: The Shadow at Evening rising – by Alexander Klimburg

Hacking back, signaling, and state-society relations – by Adam Segal

Arms Trade as Analogy – by James Lewis

Global Governance and Cyberspace: Fortresses or Oases? – by Paul Meyer

A Scene from the Road to Cyber Governance: The Budapest Cyberspace Conference – by Roger Hurwitz

Culled from the 2013 Cyber Dialogue Conference website.