A former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, on Thursday, explained why the United States President, Joe Biden, did not pardon his predecessor, Donald Trump, in the latter’s ongoing trials in court.
Trump on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts inside a packed New York courtroom ahead of a trial that could begin as soon as January, as he became the first American president to be arrested on criminal charges, AFP reports
After a stern glare to the waiting press, Trump spent about an hour inside a Manhattan courtroom as he voluntarily surrendered over allegations involving hush money payments that have already upended the 2024 White House race in which he is leading the Republican field.
“Not guilty,” Trump said in a clear voice inside the courtroom, where he sat with his shoulders up to his ears, at times looking annoyed but mostly listening cooperatively. He also denied all the charges, which related to payments to keep people quiet including over an alleged affair with an adult film actress, the report added.
But speaking in an interview on Arise Television, Akinyemi said Trump’s conduct was responsible for his continued trial.
Akinyemi said, “First of all, both Ford and Nixon were Republicans, and it was Nixon who appointed Ford as his vice-president after having gotten into trouble over a bribe that he was supposed to take and he also was dragged before a court of law was convicted so the post, vice president, became vacant.
“So Mr Ford might have felt that he hold Nixon something. Do not forget that the Watergate episode so choked the United States that I think most people, even the Democrats, agreed with Ford that Americans should be made the trauma of putting the President on trial, putting him in handcuff and marching him off to jail especially since it was also clear Nixon’s involvement in the Watergate episode.
“So I believed that is why Mr Ford pardoned Nixon. Why would Biden not pardon Mr Trump? Well, I try to watch myself, to watch my mouth in this program because I am still trying to find anybody I respect who has any good thing to say about Mr Trump.
“Has he admitted that maybe he did not do something wrong? No, instead, look at what he has done. The judge refused to issue a Guide Order out of respect for Trump, but he put him on notice that he should be guided in what he would be saying about the case.
“As soon as he got back to Florida, he abused the District Attorney, he abused the judge, the wife of the judge and the daughter of the judge, and that is a man who the judge respected by not issuing a Guide Order.
“If I were the judge, I would have him horde back before me and issued a Guide Order, and the judge and everyone concerned may simply be saying, let us not heat the atmosphere. Trump is Trump. Let him keep saying whatever it is he says, but that would be a dangerous position to take because Trump has this way of winding up people and getting them to go and commit crimes.
“Let me give you one or two examples. When the FBI went to search his house in Florida over secret documents that he was not supposed to have taken away from the White House. Trump went to lambast the FBI and called them all sorts of names.
“The following week, some lone wolf went to shoot up an FBI building, causing injury. That is the effect of Trump on his supporters. So, I believe a Guide Order should be issued by the judge, and if he disobeys the Guide Order, lock him up.”
