A group is known as the Youth Assembly, an NGO, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to give state pardon Senator Joshua Dariye who is in prison over his failing health.

Mr Dewan Gabriel, the group’s president, said this while addressing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

Senator Dariye, who represented Plateau Central Senatorial District in the 7th and 8th Senate, was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in June, 2018.

The sentence was, however, reduced to 10 years after an appeal, according to NAN.

According to Gabriel, Dariye, a former Plateau governor, has been of “good conduct” in prison, had shown remorse for his action that got him in trouble.

The group, however, said it in no way conducts stealing by public officer. “Lest we are misunderstood, we acknowledge and accept in good faith the reasons for his being jailed, which bordered on diversion of funds, which is a criminal offence.

“We do not, in any way, condone corruption of any kind, and Mr President is known for standing very firm in the fight against it.

“The reason for our appeal is based on his failing health. Long before his incarceration. he had been battling this ailment which requires close attention of specialists. He cannot access these specialists when in prison.

“We want Mr President to tamper justice with mercy,” he said.

“We laud Mr President’s wisdom and kindness in not seeing the Nigerian Prison as a punitive institution but as a reformation centre.

“It is based on this magnanimity that he assented to the bill to change the Nigerian Prisons Service to Nigerian Correctional Service, in line with global practice. “Joshua Dariye, we are sure, must have learnt enough lessons since his incarceration at the Kuje Prison,’’ he said.