Ex-governor, Dariye to run for Senate after being released from prison

Former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye, is set to declare interest to join the contest for the Plateau Central senatorial seat on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), Daily Trust reports.

He and his Taraba counterpart, Jolly Nyame, were on Monday, released from Kuje correctional facility in Abuja. He was serving a 14-year sentence after being convicted for corruption.

According to Daily Trust, reliable sources said the Plateau State chapter of LP has concluded arrangements to receive Dariye from Abuja to pick the party’s senatorial form.

He had won a senatorial seat in 2011 on the platform of LP after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under which he served as governor.

A Labour Party official, who craved anonymity told Daily Trust; “Yes, it is true that he (Dariye) will be running for a Senate seat. We are making arrangements for him to come from Abuja for the senatorial declaration.”

The source reportedly declared confidence in the former lawmaker’s ability to spring surprises at the polls because he remained loved by many in the state, adding that Dariye has also given a boost to the governorship bid of the party’s governorship candidate, Patrick Dakum, who defected to the Labour Party, from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

A video which recently went viral online showed Nigerians rejoicing after the Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame regained freedom and arrived at their homes.

When the former governors alighted from cars that conveyed them from the prison, people could be seen breaking down in tears and giving them a rousing welcome.