Former Plateau State Governor and two-term Senator, Joshua Dariye, has refuted allegations contained in a WikiLeaks report circulating on social media. The report claims that the law firm of Afe Babalola & Co influenced a gubernatorial election tribunal ruling in Dariye’s favor during his 2003 re-election as Plateau State Governor.
The report alleges that $225,000 was funneled through the law firm to secure a favorable judgment for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Joshua Dariye, purportedly advancing the political interests of then-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In a statement released by Dariye, he described the allegations as false, malicious, and entirely baseless. He categorically stated that his 2003 gubernatorial victory was never nullified by any tribunal or court, a fact that is verifiable through tribunal and court records.
He further clarified that neither Afe Babalola, SAN, nor any lawyer from Babalola’s law firm, was part of the legal team that defended him against election petitions. His defense team, he noted, was led by eminent legal figures such as Idowu Sofola, SAN, Conrad Joseph, SAN, and Robert Clarke, now SAN.
Dariye condemned the circulation of the false claims, describing it as an attempt to tarnish his reputation. He warned those responsible for spreading the misinformation to desist from such libelous actions or face legal consequences.
“This allegation is not only malicious but tendentious. I will not hesitate to seek legal redress against the merchants of such falsehoods,” Dariye stated emphatically.
The former governor urged the public to disregard the report, which he labeled as an act of mischief aimed at misleading the public and tarnishing the credibility of individuals and institutions.
