Muslim Group Slams Buhari on Dariye, Nyame

The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria has strongly condemned the state pardon granted former Governors Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Rev. Jolly Nyame of Taraba State.

Reacting to the presidential amnesty granted the two convicts, the group described the state pardon given the duo as an indication of the failure of the anti-corruption crusade of the Buhari Administration.

In a press statement signed by a Leading member of the group, Sheikh Abu Sheriff,  the group stated that with the Federal Government’s decision to pardon Dariye and Nyame who stole from their states, the anti-corruption fight of the Administration had not only crumbled but had been endorsed as part of the governing process.

The group then averred that: “It would amount to injustice to keep, in our Correctional Centres, all those jailed for corruption and serving various jail terms but who are not former governors. The fact that these citizens are not elites and political heavyweights does not mean that they should be kept in prisons any more.

“By this singular action of the Buhari Administration, corruption has been legalised and bad precedence that would encourage corruption has been set. No wonder that bad governance pervades all the 36 states in Nigeria except Borno State where Professor Umara Zulum remains tall as the ‘Best Governor ‘ for his outstanding performance.

“It is sad that past and present Governors in Nigeria believe that there would not be any consequence for their economic crimes against the masses while in office and after they have left. That is why they commit economic crimes while in office. Now that they have been released unconditionally without completing their jail terms, the coast is clear for the looting spree to continue.

“The bandwagon effect of this terrible and unfortunate action of the Buhari Administration on this matter is that Justices of the Nation’s Judiciary would be demoralised as their due judicial processes meant to curb crimes, especially corruption, are being quashed through political consideration. Equally, the anti-Corruption Agencies like ICPC and EFCC would no longer pursue cases of corruption and other economic crimes with much seriousness as they would fear political intervention of this nature.

“Nigeria’s position in the Comity of Nations is descending fast into anti-people’s governance in which the ruling class, past and present, have become sacred cows while only the poor people get punished even for offences they have not committed.

“Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria believes that this bad decision will slow down action by the relevant security agencies in terms of arrest and prosecution of offenders of economic crimes. The situation will increase the agony of the suffering masses of this country as criminal activities will never abate.”

The group, therefore, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the state pardon doled to Rev. Jolly Nyame and Mr. Joshua Dariye, and allow them to complete their jail terms before ever being considered for any state pardon.

“After all, they are not political prisoners. They convicts serving different jail terms for criminal and economic crimes. Period,” the group said.

The group also addressed the never-ending feud between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, identifying the failure of successive governments to fulfill promises s since 2009 as the main cause of  the dispute between the two giants.

The group appealed to ASUU to reconsider its current stand in the interest of the nation and call off unending strike action.

It reminded ASUU of the spiral effects of incessant strikes and COVID-19 pandemic which have contributed to downward slope in the country’s higher education sector.

“By our understanding,” the group said, “the Federal Government is not ready to shift its ground in-spite of the fact that innocent children, parents and guardians are the ones bearing the brunt of the strike action and the nation is reaping its negative impacts. The only solution, for now, is to appeal to ASUU to suspend the strike indefinitely as a show of patriotism.”

The group also appealed to the academic communities in Federal Universities, especially,  to prevail on ASUU Leadership “to ignore the intransigence of the Federal Government on the matter, and consider urgently the resumption of academic activities through suspension or total call-off of the strike. That is the only way out of the present impasse as this Administration appears too insensitive to the plight of children and parents suffering as a result of the strike.

“In conclusion, Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria enjoined ASUU, in the spirit of patriotism, not to embark of any strike action again until after May 29 next year as a matter of sacrifice for this great nation. We know their patience and sacrifice would not be in vain. They will be rewarded in 2023.”