Triumph of reason in Taraba

In terms of political antecedents, Taraba may not have had any major national political development of note in its political history, but in the way and manner the state’s political institutions and figures tackled the issue of Governor Suntai, there is a positive lesson for the entire nation to learn on how to keep faith […]

In terms of political antecedents, Taraba may not have had any major national political development of note in its political history, but in the way and manner the state’s political institutions and figures tackled the issue of Governor Suntai, there is a positive lesson for the entire nation to learn on how to keep faith with the constitution as the ground norm for the laws and political procedures in the country.  
For those who organized the return of Governor Suntai to the country, it was ostensibly intended to show the entire nation that the governor had recovered from the severe medical condition arising from his involvement in a plane crash on October 25 last year. Further, it was also by that intended to prepare grounds for the governor’s resumption of duty. But all that unravelled right from the governor’s arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport when the nation witnessed the spectacle of a frail and incapacitated Governor Suntai being assisted out of the plane that brought him to Nigeria by his aides. The impression built by the governor’s handlers that he had fully recovered and was ready to assume office soon turned to indignation that persons could be so unfeeling as to subject him to such an ordeal. The indignation further turned to outright righteous anger after a clearly incoherent Governor Suntai was purported to have written a letter to the State House of Assembly informing the lawmakers of his intention to resume work. This action was followed by the sacking of the state executive council and the appointment of a new secretary to the state government and chief of staff to the governor. Following these series of actions, a discerning public was left with the conclusion that indeed a dubious power game was being perpetrated by political manipulators, side tracking the constitution and using the governor’s unfortunate condition for their benefits. This became obvious when the State House of Assembly which was mandated by law to play a prominent role in the proceedings was being studiously side tracked. The political manipulators had hoped to continue with this charade, ruling the state from the shadows in the name of the indisposed governor.
Full credit must, however, be given to the House of Assembly for seeing through all the shenanigans of the political manipulators and insisting on the rule of law as the only guide to resolving the issue. By coming out to firmly declare that Governor Suntai was clearly incapacitated and not in a position to resume duty as deceitfully put out by his handlers, the Assembly has kept faith with reason. By also declaring that the Acting Governor Garba Umar should continue in office in that capacity pending the full recovery by the substantive governor, the Assembly has also upheld the constitution. And in all these actions, the House of Assembly has risen above the primordial sentiments that sought to becloud the whole unfortunate saga.  
Beyond all these, there are questions to be asked. Why was the state Acting Governor, who stands today by law as the chief security officer and leading political figure in the state, absent in the welcoming party of Governor Suntai at the Abuja airport? Indeed why was he kept away from all activities and actions preceding and following the arrival of Governor Suntai in the country? Why have the prominent political stakeholders and notable personalities of national repute and standing from the state, whose voices and roles in national affairs have always been acknowledged, chosen to keep mute on this unfortunate turn of events in their own state?   Why was the role and activities of certain non-Taraba indigenes more prominent than that of the Acting Governor and the State Assembly in the whole matter? At the national level, why did President Goodluck Jonathan as president of the country and leader of the People’s Democratic Party which holds sway in Taraba whose hands have been clearly evident in the events in Bayelsa and Rivers states indifferent to the events in Taraba? This posture by President Jonathan becomes curious, considering that he himself was a victim of similar shenanigans as vice president under late President Umaru Yar’adua. Why then has President Jonathan not considered it necessary and urgent to intervene one way or the other to prod all parties to observe the clearly stated constitutional guidelines in resolving the issue?
Commendable as the steps taken by the Taraba State House of Assembly are, there is still more to be done. First of all, it must be considered that the current state of affairs, while helping to douse the tension and uncertainty pervading the issue, is no more than a temporary measure at best. What the organizers of Governor Suntai’s return have sought to deceptively convey to the public on the true state of his health has ironically been brutally exposed to the contrary. They should therefore be advised by responsible persons to allow the governor to attend to his health in peace without any further distractions. They should further be politely asked to seek more honourable ways of realizing their political ambitions without using Governor Suntai as a decoy. Also those personalities from outside the state that have chosen to go beyond the observatory and advisory role expected of them should be politely but firmly asked to hold their distance and peace and allow Tarabians to handle and resolve the matter themselves.
Going forward now that the whole world has clearly seen that Governor Suntai is indeed severely indisposed and incapacitated to the point of not being able to handle himself not to talk of the rigours of office, it behoves on all important stakeholders within and outside the state to assist the State Assembly, which has shown uncommon courage in tackling the issue, to resolve it once and for all. While admittedly the political option of impeaching Governor Suntai is too sensitive for the governor’s political reputation and the state as a whole, the wider and more far reaching implications of allowing the impasse to linger on interminably must also be considered. For instance, should Taraba be left as the only state in the federation without a fully functioning governor especially as the country approaches critical national elections? Also to be considered is the constitutional, security, political and health challenges of saddling one man with the role of governor, acting governor and deputy governor in a state that has international borders and is as volatile as they come.
A suggested way out of this is to seek an honourable resignation of Governor Suntai on health grounds paving the way for Acting Governor Garba Umar to be sworn in as governor and for the former to be asked to nominate somebody, preferably from his own locality, as deputy governor. Surely, for the good of Taraba State as a whole and to further save this nature’s gift to the nation from further needless anxiety and uncertainty, no sacrifice should be considered too much to pay especially by its leaders and stakeholders.
     
Iliyasu wrote from Hospital Road, Wukari, Taraba State.