And Dariye Wept!

Former Plateau State Governor, Senator Joshua Dariye, evoked an overwhelming emotion during the week, when he broke down at a Federal High Court room and pleaded that justice be tempered with mercy. He had just been handed 14 years sentence over allegations of corruption, which started some years back.

His mortifying grief and regrets were palpable. He momentarily lost himself to the unexpected that had just hit him. He probably had a quick reflection life and its vanity. He must have wondered too how he walked by himself through the path of corruption that eventually landed him in the gaol as the wages of his many choices. His excuse that he was misled was as insipid as his hushed, albeit pitiful tone. Truth is, the buck always stopped with him as the governor and so, he made his choice.

However, coming from the judgment preferred against a former Taraba State Governor, Jolly Nyame and the pending trial of another former Governor of Kaduna State, Ramalan Yero, the Dariye ruling is yet another message to the political elites that justice might be slow in pace, it always catches up in good time, even if are were conscious moves to thwart the course of the rule of law.