Presidential Pardon: Group Decries Delay in Effecting Nyame, Dariye Release
Seriki Adinoyi
The Renaissance Group for Better Nigeria, a pressure group in Plateau State has alleged a grand plot to frustrate the release of the former Governors of Taraba State, Rev. Jolly Nyame, Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and 152 others recently granted a pardon by the National Council of State.
Nyame, Dariye and others were recently granted a pardon by the National Council of State on account of ill health and other reasons.
The group in a statement signed by its Chairman, Mr. Jonathan Ibrahim expressed surprise and disappointment that weeks after the pardon had been announced, nothing has been done to effect their release from custody.
According to Ibrahim, there should be no need for delay since the pardon was granted by the highest decision making body in the country adding that the decision of the body supposed to be acted on without much ado to avoid a negative impression.
“We are surprised that they are still been held and many Nigerians especially their loved one is beginning to have the impression that they are still being held for certain political reasons which are not clear to many.
“We are therefore calling on all relevant authorities, especially the Ministry of Justice to do all that that is required and necessary to facilitate their release to avoid unnecessary insinuations. More so that their political associates and families are eager and anxiously waiting for their arrival.
“We equally learnt that since the pronouncement of their pardon, friends, relations and associates have been trooping into Kuje prison to receive them. But often went back frustrated, this should not be the case, the decision of this apex body needs to be respected and acted upon with quick dispatch.
“In a democracy, issue like this should not be delayed because keeping them longer than necessary means their fundamental human rights being trampled upon.”
According to him, “the last we heard was that the person who was supposed to process the papers was out of the country for Lesser Hajj, and now that the person is back, there should be no room for delay anymore.”
The group therefore appealed to the authority concerned, especially, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General to expedite action on their release.
