A former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang and the Senator representing Plateau North, Istifanus Gyang, on Sunday, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to grant presidential pardon to the ex-governor of the state, Joshua Dariye, who is currently serving a prison term.
The duo made the call at the finals of the Plateau North Peace, Unity and Reconciliation Football Tournament held in Jos, the state capital.
They also urged the President to pardon the former Governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame.
The two ex-governors are serving jail terms for corruption.
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu, Abuja, on June 12, 2018, sentenced Dariye to 14 years’ imprisonment for a criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of N1.6 billion while he was governor of Plateau State.
But the Court of Appeal, Abuja, reduced the sentence to 10 years in November of the same year.
The same court sentenced Nyame to 14 years’ imprisonment on May 30, 2018.
However, the sentence was reduced to 12 years by the Appeal Court in November 2018.
Jang said: “I want to plead with President Muhammadu Buhari to grant our son, Senator Joshua Dariye pardon so that he can come back and join us.
“I’m speaking as a leader from Plateau and as an elder statesman in this country, that it is time we plead with President Buhari that he should grant our son, Chief Joshua Dariye pardon.
“I also want to take this opportunity to ask the representative of the Senate President, Senator Gabriel Suswam, to carry this message.
As you know, Benue and Plateau are neighbours to Taraba; and we want to ask that while we plead for Dariye, we are also pleading for the former Governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame, that he too be granted an executive pardon.”
On his part, Gyang added: “We from Plateau North are appealing to the President that given the recent judgment by the Supreme Court that has absolved Senator Dariye of criminal misappropriation, and that on health grounds, he has been battling with his health.
“And therefore, we are appealing to the President, that on compassionate grounds, Senator Dariye should be granted an executive pardon.”
