Wike Slams FG For Pardoning Dariye, Nyame

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Saturday, April 16th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Rivers Governor on Saturday berated the Federal Government for granting pardon to the former Plateau and Taraba Governors Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame, convicted for corruption.

Wike, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, said the pardon was a demonstration the corruption fight of the Federal Government was shrouded in despicable politics that had ridiculed Nigeria in the international community.

The Governor spoke when he visited Niger State as part of his ongoing consultations with delegates of the People’s Democratic party (PDP), ahead of the party’s presidential primaries.

The Governor said it was difficult to explain the rationale of the Federal Government in handpicking supposed corrupt persons, make them go through court processes up to Supreme Court and turned around to release them in the guise of a pardon.

Wike, in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari promised to fight corruption headlong.

He said Buhari’s pattern was tilted against persons opposed to his policies and programmes.

He said: “To tell you the truth, this APC government has deceived us a lot. This is a government that said they’re fighting corruption, they handpick people and jail them after they have gone through all court processes up to Supreme Court.

“Then they turned around to release from prison those people that they said are corrupt. What country and what a government?

“Doing it for political reasons because the elections are coming and they want (Joshua) Dariye to help their party in Plateau State. They want (Jolly) Nyame to help them in Taraba State. Why don’t they give pardon to James Ibori for example

“Look at how they have made the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to prosecute and spend so much money. Then at the end of the day you played politics with it. How will the international community look at us? It’s so shameful.”

Wike told the delegates that he was resolved to end the era of lies by the APC to Nigerians, saying it was the reason he was vying for the ticket of the PDP.

He promised to tackle the festering insecurity in parts of the country to allow farmers return to their farms and grow the economy.

He said: “The day you give me the ticket is the day we will start to form the government, because by giving me the ticket, I know I’ve won the election already.

“It is only when you’ve given me the ticket that I’ll make sure that I present, put together the best of professionals that will help me to run the affairs of this country.