Dariye’s trial is political vendetta, ex-SSG tells court

A defence witness, John Gobak, has told an FCT High Court that the continuous trial former Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye, amounts to a political vendetta.
Gobak, who made this known when he testified in the trial on Wednesday, recalled that Dariye was the target of impeachment during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government.
Gobak, a former Commissioner for Special Duties in 2002 and Secretary to the State Government in 2003, was led in evidence by Garba Pwul (SAN), counsel to Dariye.
The former SSG, who is current Chairman of the Plateau State Agricultural Services, Training and Marketing, said: “The target was the defendant.
“We felt that the impeachment of 2006 was rather unfortunate because Plateau State House of Assembly has 34 members but about four or five of them sat to impeach the governor.
“I wondered whether the constitution was suspended to allow such a thing to take place.”
Gobak also said that the then Deputy Governor, Chief Michael Botmang, was not impeached along with Dariye, but was rather made a governor after “Dariye was cleared out of the way”.
He said: “This was challenged up to the Supreme Court where Judgment was given nullifying the impeachment.”
Upon cross-examination by the prosecuting counsel from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Gobak told the court that in all his capacity as a seasoned civil servant in Plateau State, he had never handled state funds.
He also explained how contracts were awarded and the procedures involved.
He said: “Money coming in from the Federal Government are channeled into the Ministry of Finance and paid into the government account.’’
He also admitted that money coming in from the Federal Government is “supposed to be used for the purpose it was meant for”.
On whether he is loyal to Dariye or not, he replied: “I am loyal to Dariye to the extent of his being loyal to the country.”
The witness also said that he would not support the ex-governor on anything that was not right.
Dariye is standing trial for alleged diversion of Plateau ecological fund.
Judge Adebukola Banjoko adjourned the continuation of hearing till October 31.