Suntai : One year after crash Governor taking advantage of constitutional lacuna, say lawyers

When the plane carrying Taraba State Governor Danbaba Suntai landed in Jalingo on August 25, 2013, many had thought the governor’s presence will end the confusion caused by his 10-month absence. Suntai was taken abroad for medical treatment shortly after the plane he was piloting crashed on October 25, 2012.  Some of his personal assistants […]

When the plane carrying Taraba State Governor Danbaba Suntai landed in Jalingo on August 25, 2013, many had thought the governor’s presence will end the confusion caused by his 10-month absence. Suntai was taken abroad for medical treatment shortly after the plane he was piloting crashed on October 25, 2012.  Some of his personal assistants were also involved in the crash which occurred near Yola, Adamawa State.
The governor was first taken to a hospital in Adamawa State before he was taken to a German hospital. After sometime, he was moved to John Hopkins Hospital in America for better attention.
Rather than end the controversy over the governor’s health, his return further charged the political atmosphere of the state. While the governor’s close associates insisted he has recovered enough to assume duties as governor, many thought the acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, should continue to pilot the affairs of the state pending Suntai’s full recovery.
Even with the confusion over the governor’s health yet to settle, some developments further divided public opinion in the state. First, purportedly wrote a letter to the Taraba State House of Assembly, notifying the leadership of his intention to resume duties as governor; then he dissolved his cabinet and swore in a new chief of staff and secretary to the state government. Meanwhile, Suntai remained inaccessible to people in the state, including his deputy, after his return. Many alleged that Suntai was hurriedly returned to Nigeria by his associates in an effort to stop his deputy from becoming a substantive governor and alter their political calculation.
However, the leadership of the state House of assembly to refuse to honour the letter supposedly transmitted to them by Suntai. The assembly, which expressed doubt over his authorship of the letter, subsequently ordered the governor to appear before the House to prove his fitness to govern or else, he should continue with his medication until he is fit enough to take charge.
The impasse persisted until the Senator Hope Uzodinma-led
PDP fact-finding committee on the Taraba State Political which visited Suntai in New York visited the state to broker truce. In the end, it was agreed that Suntai remains the governor while his deputy, Alhaji Garba Umar continues to act on his behalf but in consultation with him (Suntai).
Not satisfied with the development, Suntai’s counsel, Alex Izinyon, filed a case at the State High Court challenging the refusal of the state assembly to honour the letter his client transmitted to them. He insisted that the letter he transmitted to the assembly is not debatable and urged the court to interpret Section 190 (2) of the 1999 Constitution.
After some sittings the parties in the matter later opted for an out of court settlement which was granted by Justice Ali Andeyantso of the High Court, Jalingo.
A source said so far all attempts at PR stunts by the governor have ended in a mess. “The governor’s visit to a fish pond was aimed at reminding Tarabians that he is still there and recovering fast. But in the end, it showed that the governor was still not strong enough to fish without resting on a chair. Again, he visited with journalists but could not address them. As far as I am concerned, the gimmick was a disaster.”
The latest dimension is the alleged confiscation of the governor’s travelling passport by some influential personalities from the state to halt any move of taking him abroad for medications.
A source, who preferred anonymity, told Weekly Trust that the travelling passport of Suntai which was with one of his associates, a renowned legal luminary, was seized by a retired army general for some certain political reasons.
He said the lawyer, who is a close associate of governor Suntai’s family and has been at the forefront of taking care of Suntai while on medications abroad happened to be in possession of the travelling documents before the seizure.
According to the source, the seizure of the passport was to ensure that Suntai remains in the state so as not to truncate the cabal’s political  game plan ahead of 2015, especially that of getting a governor from Southern Taraba.
“It is obvious that these people are not interested in the health of Governor Danbaba but are only out for their political interests”, the source said.
This latest move, Weekly Trust gathered, followed the alleged disagreement between the cabal and wife of the governor Hauwa Suntai who was said to have taken a stand for the Suntai family contrary to the expectations of the cabals.
Hauwa is said to have acceded to power sharing between her husband’s family and the acting governor’s group, especially in the composition of new executives in the state.
Sources told Weekly Trust that four slots, including two commissioners and two special advisers have been given to the Suntai’s side, with Suntai’s younger brother, Babangida Suntai as one of the likely commissioners.
Weekly Trust reports that one recent theory making the rounds in the state is the alleged move by the cabal to influence the state House of assembly to impeach both Governor Suntai and the acting governor to give room for Speaker Haruna Tsokwa to take charge of affairs ahead of 2015 elections.
But Speaker Haruna Tsokwa told Weekly Trust in an interview that the House is not aware of any move to make it impeach Governor Suntai and acting governor Garba Umar.
“I’m not aware of it; Taraba State House of Assembly is well recognized. We have members that are highly intelligent and because of that, we cannot take decisions that will not be in the interest of the people”, Tsokwa said.
Explaining further, Tsokwa said: “I want to assure you there is nothing; I’m just hearing it. If there is move anywhere, it is outside the House; we are not part of it. All we want in the state is peace and we are enjoying it”.
He said members of the assembly know what they are doing and would not be influenced to do what is not right. “Nobody can come and influence us to do what is wrong. For that, I want to assure people that we will always do what is right”.
On the out of court settlement with governor Suntai, Tsokwa said the state house of assembly is yet to be approached by anybody to begin discussion on settlement.
“To my surprise, until now, nobody has come forth to discuss the issues with us and we are ready to sit down if they come; but if they don’t come, we will go back to court”.
Senior Special Assistant to Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai on Media and Publicity, Silvanus Giwa also denied knowledge of anything regarding the seizure of Suntai’s travelling documents.
He said the governor has been on physiotherapy since he returned to the country and has been responding well ever since.
“I don’t know anything concerning any trip abroad. All I know is that he is recuperating here at home. I have not been officially informed about that,” he said.