By TINA TIMOTHY

Former military governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd), who in December 2021 pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to grant state pardon to convicted ex-governors Josua Dariye and Rev. Jolly Nyame, has accused the President of fighting a ‘selective’ anti-corruption war whereby these two ex-governors were targeted while some other governors who have either been accused, facing prosecution, actually found guilty and jailed are walking free!

In a press statement on Sunday July 10, 2022, the former military administrator said that he did not mean to justify their crime nor sabotage the war against corruption rather he has called for ‘a more vigorous war waged with equity and fairness’, as the conviction of the two former governors by a Federal High Court in 2018 followed due process.

His statement reads: “When in an interview with the Daily Sun in December of 2021, I pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to grant state pardon to convicted former Governors Joshua Dariye and Rev. Jolly Nyame, I didn’t mean to excuse their fraud offence nor to undermine the much needed war against corruption in Nigeria. Rather, it was a call for a more vigorous war waged with equity and fairness.

“Both Governors Dariye and Jolly Nyame were convicted of criminal breach of trust in which they embezzled N1.16 billion and N1.6billion respectively. Their conviction by a Federal High Court in 2018 followed due judicial process as affirmed by the Supreme Court. Both spent two years in detention while their trial lasted. They have now served a further four years after their conviction, making cumulative six years of a ten year sentence.

“It is remarkable that the two are so far the only former Governors who have been convicted and have remained in jail even though their colleague Governors have similarly been accused or facing prosecution. A few were actually found guilty and jailed – but still managed to remain free!”

Col. Umar further said that the public did not welcome the pardon granted to the erstwhile governors along with 159 other convicts which possibly let to reluctance on the part of the Justice Ministry to issue their release warrant. This has resulted in their remaining in prison three months after being granted state pardon. He therefore called on the critics to demand for ‘resumption and conclusion of cases of other former governors’ as well as question why the anti-corruption war is targeted at Dariye and Nyame stating that, in the interest of equity, justice and fairness, these two do not deserve to be singled out but treated like every other person noting that ‘their pardon is coming less than two years to the end of their mandatory ten year sentence.’

“It is difficult to tell what part my appeal had played in the decision of the National Council of State led by President Muhammadu Buhari to magnanimously grant state pardon to Governors Dariye and Nyame along with 159 other convicts. It has to be said however that their pardon was greeted with public dissent and protests. Many considered the decision to pardon them as evidence yet of the lack of seriousness in the government’s war against corruption.

“Regrettably, the public’s antagonism might well have intimidated the government resulting in the Justice Ministry’s hesitancy in issuing their release warrant to the Ministry of Interior and the National Correctional Service. And so Governors Dariye and Nyame have remained in prison three months after being granted state pardon,” he stated.

“One expected that in the interest of justice and fairness, critics would demand for the resumption and conclusion of the cases of other former Governors. They should interrogate the seeming selective nature of the anti-corruption war which targeted the two Governors while their colleagues walk free. They should also take account of the fact that their pardon is coming less than two years to the end of their mandatory ten year sentence.

“At a time when most Nigerians are calling for equity in every aspect of our national life, Governors Dariye and Nyame do not deserve to be singled out but treated like everybody else.”

Continuing, Col. Umar however expressed confidence that President Buhari will implement a decision by the National Council of State even if a section of the public disagrees with that decision. He therefore called on the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to, as a matter of urgency, transmit the warrant to the agencies responsible for the release of Governors Josua Dariye and Jolly Nyame.

“Besides, I am sure the President will remain steadfast in implementing a decision approved by the National Council of State even if it might seem somewhat unpopular with a section of the public.

“The Attorney General should, in obedience to the directive of the President, transmit the warrant to the agencies responsible for the release of Governors Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame without any further delay,” he said.

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