Dariye picks APC nomination form from prison
Dariye picks APC nomination form from prison
…it’s embarrassing, PDP reacts
Jos—Senator Joshua Dariye, who is currently serving a 14-year jail term over financial misdeeds while serving as Plateau State governor, has picked an All Progressives Congress, APC, nomination form to contest next year’s election.
Speaking in Jos yesterday, Mr. Chindo Dafat, the state’s APC Publicity Secretary, said: “Senator Dariye has picked a nomination form to seek a third term. It is true. He is among those jostling for the APC ticket in Plateau Central.”
Dafat said Dariye has filled the form and submitted same to the party.
According to Dafat, “Dariye’s ward secretary came and signed the form on his behalf. It has been filled and his supporters are already campaigning ahead of the party primaries.”
He added that Dariye will battle with three other aspirants— Zakari Dimka, Sam Piwuna and Manji Pompori— for the APC ticket.
He said Dariye had appealed his conviction and could have it upturned “because we are praying for him.”
His words: “Aside possible success in the appeal, we are also praying for a state pardon. That is another possibility. Dariye is very important to our party.
“Somebody could be in the hospital or prison and pick a nomination form from there. We have no right to deny anyone a nomination form. Even INEC cannot stop Dariye from contesting the 2019 elections.
“Only the court can disqualify him. If Dariye wins elections from prison, he will not be the first Nigerian to do that.”
PDP reacts
Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described the development as “shocking, strange and embarrassing.”
Mr. Ben Shignugul, PDP Vice Chairman, Plateau Central, said: “It is shocking that a convict, serving a 14-year jail term, will be given a nomination form to contest an election. This is just ridiculous.
“The nomination form has a portion which requests aspirants to state whether they were once convicted; I wonder what information Dariye provided in that column.
“He (Dariye) is our illustrious son and we sympathise with him. We expect him to be sober and reflect on what has happened to him, instead of allowing himself to be dragged around by desperate politicians.”
Shignugul said Plateau PDP executive council, led by its chairman, Damishi Sango, recently visited Dariye in Kuje Prisons and prayed for him.
No comments