There was confusion in Taraba State on Wednesday as the
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Haruna Tsokwa and
the Majority Leader, Mr. Joseph Albasu, disagreed on who ran the affairs of the state as governor. While Tsokwa said the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Alhaji Garba Umar, would continue to act as governor until the Assembly deliberated on the letter by the recuperating Governor Danbaba Suntai seeking to resume duty, Albasu claimed that Suntai had already taken charge as the state's Chief Executive.

The Majority Leader told journalists at the assembly complex in Jalingo that the lawmakers gave the governor the nod to begin work since he had fulfilled the provisions of the 1999
Constitution. Albasu, who said he was speaking for all the lawmakers, added that the governor was mentally fit to carry out his duties. He argued that the constitution did not make it mandatory for a governor to appear before the assembly on the matter in question. The Majority Leader, also stated that it was against the spirit of the constitution for the assembly to debate the letter by Suntai.

But the Speaker faulted him, saying the governor must appear
before the Assembly or be prepared to receive its principal
officers in his office in the Government House, Jalingo.
He said, "Governor Suntai has transmitted a letter to the
Assembly, but his deputy, Alhaji Umar, will continue to act,
until this assembly deliberates on his letter."

The PUNCH however learnt that the lawmakers might
deliberate on the letter on Wednesday (today).
The speaker, who claimed that he was unaware of the claims by the Majority Leader, also confirmed earlier reports that Suntai's wife blocked him from seeing her husband on Tuesday. Tsokwa became the speaker when Istifanus Haruna Gbana -an ally of Suntai, was removed while Suntai was still receiving treatment abroad for injuries he sustained last October when a small plane he piloted crashed.

Findings by The PUNCH on Tuesday showed that apart from
the speaker, who led a delegation to the Government House,
Alhaji Umar; the Commissioner in charge of the state Police
Command and the Director of State Security Service were
prevented from seeing the governor by Suntai's family members and influential associates on Tuesday.

There were reports on Monday that Umar, who acted as
governor during the 10 months that Suntai was out of the
country, was barred from seeing the governor on his arrival at
the Jalingo Airport. But a credible source had told The PUNCH that the deputy governor met the governor in Jalingo even before he alighted from the aircraft that flew him there.

Sources close to the state government informed one of our
correspondents on Tuesday that Umar, Tsokwa and the two
security chiefs were told that Suntai would not be able to see
them until he had rested for 72 hours. One of the sources said, "What we have been told is that the governor will rest for 72 hours in compliance with the instructions of his doctors. This was the explanation they also gave to the D-G, SSS and the CP. They were there to see him, but they were stopped."
According to another source, "the speaker's delegation was kept waiting for about one hour and the governor's wife (Hauwa) later told them that Suntai was resting."

He added that because of the development, the state House of
Assembly had resolved to sit on Wednesday (today) and debate the governor's letter.
"What the members have decided is to sit tomorrow (today) and formally invite the governor to address the House. He has been away for about 10 months; so, coming to address them will at least put all the speculations and uncertainties surrounding his health to rest", the source added.

Asked what Taraba stakeholders considered to be the way
forward for the state, a top Peoples Democratic Party member
from the state, said that much depended on the assembly's
decision. He said, "This situation must be addressed with all the caution that it requires. There is no point rushing things or being unnecessarily preemptive. "If the House say they are going to invite him, the right thing is to await the outcome of the decision of the House. Let them come up with their decision."

In Abuja, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties and the
Inter Party Advisory Council called on the state House of
Assembly to set up a medical panel to examine Suntai's state of health. Both CNPP and IPAC, whose officials spoke separately with the News Agency of Nigeria, said this was in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

The CNPP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Osita Okechukwu, told NAN that the assembly should set up the panel immediately "to determine if Suntai is capable or incapable of carrying out his constitutional functions."
IPAC, through its chairman, Mr. Yusuf Tanko, also said the
governor's health status must be established before any action
could be taken. It said, "It is in the interest of democracy that Suntai's health situation is established. If he is found incapable, there are constitutional provisions that should be followed, otherwise we will continue to put democracy in danger.''

In Lagos, human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), gave a three-day ultimatum to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr.
Mohammed Abubakar, to investigate the governor's letter of
intention to resume duty. Falana, in a letter to Abubakar, which was obtained by one of our correspondents, threatened to go to court if his demand was not met before the expiration of the ultimatum. The letter reads in part, "We therefore urge you, in the interest of the people of Taraba State and Nigeria as a whole, to use your good offices to cause a detailed investigation to confirm the authenticity of the letter of intention sent by the Governor of Taraba State. We believe that the letter of intention may have been forged by the governor's handlers."

Another civil rights lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, said Suntai's
medical fitness must be ascertained to avert "governance by
proxy." Aturu said, "We thank God that he has returned. But it is not all about returning. We want to know if he is capable of performing the functions of his office. His state of health must be ascertained by a medical team otherwise Taraba State may be governed by somebody else we don't know. That will amount to governance by proxy, which is not recognised by the constitution."

Chairman, Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr.
Monday Ubani, who described as worrisome "the secrecy that
still surrounds Suntai's health status", argued that it was criminal to allow an ill person to govern a state. Ubani said, "Why are these facts shrouded in secrecy and why are Nigerians, nay the citizens of his state, denied the
opportunity of hearing from their governor. It will amount to
fraud and ill governor to run the state contrary to the express
provision of the constitution."

Two civil society groups - Say No Campagin and United Action for Democracy - also criticised the politicisation of Suntai's illness and return by "some people who are against the state." The groups, at a joint press conference in Abuja, described the hasty tranmission of the letter to the state House of Assembly as "the handiwork of political jobbers bent on satisfying selfish interest at the detriment of the state."

The Convener of the SNC, Ezenwa Nwagwu, said, "While we
sympathise with the Sunatais and the entire people of Taraba
State, we however condemn unequivocally, the attempt by some political vultures within and outside the state who are bent on holding the whole state to ransom and making effective governance once again unrealistic."

The UAD Director, Jaye Gaskia, likened what was happening
in Taraba State to a repeat of the late President Umaru
Yar'Adua's saga when he was brought in by his associates to
keep running the country even though he was incapable of
doing so.

Also,the Conscience Nigeria and Northern Youth Assembly
disagreed with those advising the state House of Assembly to
invoke relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to make Umar the state governor. According to them, the deputy governor cannot be made a substantive governor, given the fact that he was not democratically elected alongside the governor in 2011. They argued that Umar was handpicked by the governor after the impeachment of the former deputy governor, Alhaji Sani Abubakar.

The Executive Director of CN, Mr. Tosin Adeyanju, and
Speaker of NYA, Mr Gideon Oband, who stated this at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, asked the state assembly to urgently treat Monday's letter from the governor so that he could resume work in earnest.

http://mobile.punchng.com/output.php?link=http://www.punchng.com/news/confusion-in-taraba/

If truly the Governor is sound and mentally fit to continue the administration of taraba state, then he should address the press to clear all suspicion.

battnis: If truly the Governor is sound and mentally fit to continue the administration of taraba state, then he should address the press to clear all suspicion.

the constitution says he should transmit a letter which he has done. Which one is addressing the people? Doing that is discretional and not constitutional

Addressing the people of his state will definitely clear all this suspicion about his being brain dead.....

MHN, THEY ARE JUST DECIEVING NOBODY BUT THEMSELVES. LET US SEE HOW HE CAN RULE FROM A WHEELCHAIR WITHOUT EVEN A COMMON SENSE TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE. ABOVE ALL, THE WAY HE WAS REMOTE CONTROLLED TO WAVE AT PEOPLE ON HIS ARRIVAL, I'M 100% SURE THAT THE VERY MACHINE HANDS I SAW CANNOT SIGN A SIGNATURE.

..

wow!! so this thread could see d light of frontpage...

I comment my RESERVE

From the pics that circulate around i believe that the man does not really fit anymore
again he shd appear in person to d assembly to clear all doubt he is physically fit to lead d state

Had_one: MHN, THEY ARE JUST DECIEVING NOBODY BUT THEMSELVES. LET US SEE HOW HE CAN RULE FROM A WHEELCHAIR WITHOUT EVEN A COMMON SENSE TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE. ABOVE ALL, THE WAY HE WAS REMOTE CONTROLLED TO WAVE AT PEOPLE ON HIS ARRIVAL, I'M 100% SURE THAT THE VERY MACHINE HANDS I SAW CANNOT SIGN A SIGNATURE.

u wicked o....

Had_one: MHN, THEY ARE JUST DECIEVING NOBODY BUT THEMSELVES. LET US SEE HOW HE CAN RULE FROM A WHEELCHAIR WITHOUT EVEN A COMMON SENSE TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE. ABOVE ALL, THE WAY HE WAS REMOTE CONTROLLED TO WAVE AT PEOPLE ON HIS ARRIVAL, I'M 100% SURE THAT THE VERY MACHINE HANDS I SAW CANNOT SIGN A SIGNATURE.

funny

Well, since the speaker could not see him to ascertain his state of health, the constitutional position of Mr Speaker demands that he be diligent in serving Taraba state and not the government house. Hauwa Suntai Nigerians are watching.

.

.owk

Prove to the world you are well.. Not people doing the fight for you.

The Suntai i saw alighting from the flight may not even know what is happening presently. I doubt if he can still remember that he was once a governor, let alone thinking of resuming office as a governor. It's quite unfortunate that that good governor is having health challenge that has rendered him incapable of continuing his good-works in Taraba State, then governance has to continue because the state is bigger than one man or even the few cabals that want to run a government by proxy.

There was a time people said Jolly Nyame was dead, when he came back he addressed a crowd I think in government house or so can't really remember. He did it to clear all doubts. I wonder why Danbaba can't do the same. Do these people think everybody in Taraba and Nigeria is in Grade 7?

Vegetable

People are so beclouded by their sentiments, God gives power to whom he wishes, why clinging to it by fire by force.

Those powers who said a muslim should not govern Taraba state should learn from Gej emergence, clearly it was the wish of God if not not even Gej himself ever thought about being president, but he was elevated from deputy governor to governor, from VP to president.

Garba Umar is a business man with no hand in politics who was hand picked by suntai himself after falling out with his deputy and got him impeached. Only two weeks after the appointment of Garba Umar suntai crashed.

So the moral of this is if you stand on the way of Gods wish then you may perish. Furthermore who says Garba Umar himself cannot die and his supposed deputy who would most probably be a christian be governor again.

They should give him his position back if he can run 100m.

If truly he is unfit, then I really wonder why his wife will allow all this. I also imagine the level of selfishness and low-mindedness that will make his allies go this way. Let's see how far this stunt will go. This is what happens when we elect or appoint politicians who can not survive outside government.

It can only happen in Nigeria

this is turning into a religous tussle coated with political shit bt i still think the gov shud come out and clear the airwave.

Omoluyi:

the constitution says he should transmit a letter which he has done. Which one is addressing the people? Doing that is discretional and not constitutional

Nigeria is jus bleeped... dey feel we r all idiots. d guy has surely lost it. dis same constitution states dat he has to be of sane mind

Gov. Suntai, address your people and clear the air!

Had_one: MHN, THEY ARE JUST DECIEVING NOBODY BUT THEMSELVES. LET US SEE HOW HE CAN RULE FROM A WHEELCHAIR WITHOUT EVEN A COMMON SENSE TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE. ABOVE ALL, THE WAY HE WAS REMOTE CONTROLLED TO WAVE AT PEOPLE ON HIS ARRIVAL, I'M 100% SURE THAT THE VERY MACHINE HANDS I SAW CANNOT SIGN A SIGNATURE.

nna u are funny

a dead man!

they should allow the man to decide what is in his mind than everyone saying what he/she doesnt know about.