Uncertainty mounts in Taraba as Suntai, Deputy lay claim to governorship seat

Taraba state drifted further Wednesday without a clear decision on who was in charge after its acting governor, Garba Umar, dismissed the dissolution of the state cabinet by ailing governor, Danbaba Suntai, insisting that he would continue to act as governor until the state assembly decided otherwise.

Mr. Umar said he was however willing to revert to his position as deputy governor if the House of Assembly, which had insisted on determining Mr. Suntai's true health condition, asked him to do so.

"I am waiting to hear from them. As I speak to you, if the assembly tells me to revert to the position of deputy, I will comply," Mr. Umar was quoted as saying Wednesday as the state appeared to inch towards a full-blown political crisis.

The acting governor had earlier dismissed Mr. Suntai's decision on Wednesday to dissolve the state council and appoint a new secretary, insisting that he was in charge since the state assembly was yet to notify him that the governor, who returned on Sunday from a 10-month medical trip abroad, had resumed work.

In a reaction to an enquiry by PREMIUM TIMES, a spokesperson said the steps purportedly taken by Mr. Suntai so far were null and void.
"Before he assumed office as acting governor, a letter was conveyed to him by the state House of Assembly confirming him. Up till this moment, there is no communication from the House to say that confirmation has been reversed," the spokesperson, Kefas Sule, said.

"To the best of our knowledge there are no two governments in Taraba and all members of the State Executive Council remain in office."

Mr. Suntai, who appeared apparently ill during his arrival on Sunday, has made no public appearance or given an address since his arrival, fuelling speculation about the state of his mind and capacity to lead the state.

The House said on Tuesday it would insist on meeting with the governor before taking a decision.

But after what seemed a decisive effort to meet the governor on Wednesday, the lawmakers declined to state the details of their findings, or whether they were allowed access to the governor or not.

The House said it would speak on the visit Thursday (today).

Still, the tension that had built up in the state for the most part of Wednesday appeared to have lowered late evening after Mr. Suntai reportedly appeared briefly on television and swore in new cabinet appointees.

"I thank the people of Taraba State for standing by me and my family. I also thank the commissioners for holding the fort while I was away. Also enjoin all of you to continue to live in peace," he reportedly said in a recorded remark.

Critics have accused the governor's family and associates of attempting to foist a critically ill governor on the state so they can usurp his powers.

"Whereas we sympathize with the Suntais and the entire people of Taraba State over this unfortunate incident and sincerely wish the ailing Governor full recovery, we however condemn unequivocally the attempt by some political vultures within and outside the State who are bent on holding a whole State to ransom and make effective governance once again unrealistic," a network of civil society groups said on Tuesday.

"These charlatans have desperately kept trying to cling to political power and by extension the resources of Taraba State through series of craftily woven plots of deceits, meant to hoodwink the Nigeria public in a manner similar to the unfortunate Turai-Yar'adua saga."

Events since Monday appeared to give strength to that concern as the critically ill governor issued an immediate notification to the House of Assembly signaling his preparedness to resume work.

Then, while lawmakers insisted he addressed them before approving his letter, the governor, on Wednesday, announced the dissolution of the cabinet and named a new secretary to the state government.

The governor named the outgoing commissioner for Justice, Timothy Kataps, as the news SSG, and Aminu Jika as the new Chief of Staff.
But the acting governor, Mr. Umar, dismissed the order as null and void, and laid claim to the office hours later.

The declaration heightened the political tension in the state that has endured months of uncertainty as both sides jostled for authority and sought to outplay the other long before Mr. Suntai returned to Nigeria.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone provided by Airtel Nigeria.