Dariye, Nyame regain freedom, 4 months after Buhari’s pardon

Kingsley Chukwuka

August 8, 2022 5:46 PM

The Kuje Prison Spokesman said the release of the ex-governors was sequel to the receipt of the letter of clemency from the presidential prerogative of mercy committee

Former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, and his counterpart, Jolly Nyame of Taraba State, have been finally released from Kuje prison. (TheSun)

The former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, and his counterpart, Jolly Nyame of Taraba State, have been finally released from Kuje prison four months after President Muhammadu Buhari granted them the prerogative of mercy.

The former governors were released amidst claims that the Plateau State Government headed by Governor Simon Lalong was frustrating the state pardon granted Dariye due to his political influence in the state.

It was gathered that Lalong was afraid that Dariye would truncate his arrangement of installing a successor in Plateau and his senatorial ambition.

However, in a statement sent to this reporter on Monday, 8 August 2022, the Kuje Prison Spokesman, Chukwuedo Humphrey, said the release was sequel to the receipt of the letter of clemency from the presidential prerogative of mercy committee by the Controller General of Corrections Haliru Nababa.

“The controller of Corrections FCT Command Ahmed Musa Ahmed acting upon the directives of the controller General also released three other inmates who were granted pardon from the Suleja custodial centre.

“The pardon which was granted earlier this year by President Muhammadu Buhari was done based on recommendations from the presidential prerogative of mercy committee who have interviewed all inmates based on deteriorating health status, age as well as good behaviour and industry during the period of serving their sentences”, the statement reads in part.

Dariye assumed office as the Governor of Plateau State, on May 29, 1999, on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), while his counterpart Nyame was a two-time Governor of Taraba State.

Nyame first served the state as governor from January 1992 to November 1993, and later in the fourth republic from May 29, 1999, to May 29, 2007.

He is also a member of the People’s Democratic Party.

Kingsley Chukwuka