The first Plateau State indigenous Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Garba Pwul, has declared that the continued detention of former Governor of the State, Sen Joshua Dariye, is disrespectful to the decision of the council of State.
Pwul said that once presidential amnesty is signed and pronounced, it takes immediate effect adding that there is no higher authority than the president to grant another approval.
Pwul, a Jos based legal luminary and a former Governorship aspirant under the platform of the All-Progressive Congress (APC) in an interview with LEADERSHIP weekend in Jos while reacting to the delayed in releasing former Plateau State Governor Chief Joshua Dariye and others who were granted presidential pardon.
According to him, having received a presidential pardon backed up by the Council of State, the matter is conclusive and that Dariye and others ought to have seen the light of the day within 24 hours.
“Nobody can seat on amnesty,” Pwul said adding that “it appears to be contempt and disrespect to that very high council. The council itself should be able to hold somebody responsible for this delay. It is an instrument that must be respected, no matter whose ox is gored.”
“So, if beyond the amnesty, Dariye is still being held, there is something more than the eyes can see. Like I said, his lawyers or anybody who is representing him, must give lives to this amnesty. It is no longer a matter of procedure, after that day, Dariye should have been out the next day because it takes immediate effect,” Pwul said.
He advised Dariye’s lawyers or whoever that is representing him to take immediate steps to give lives to the amnesty granted him.
“Some people are saying for political reasons somebody sat on it. I think nobody is higher than the president. If there is anything wrong, somebody somewhere is being disobedient and sabotaging the amnesty,” Pwul said, arguing that Dariye’s lawyer should have unravelled such a mystery.
