Fresh Crisis Brews in Taraba as Acting Gov Umar Moves To Declare Suntai Incapacitated

The constitutional process to declare Gov. Danbaba Suntai incapacitated may start early January. If all goes well according to the plan, Suntai would be impeached by early next year and the acting governor, Garba Umar, sworn in as substantive governor.

Sources revealed a memo to kick start the process is already in its draft stage. The memo, emanating from the office of the Secretary to the State Government, Garvey Yawe, and addressed to the acting governor, Garba Umar,  who is also the President in council, is asking that a team of medical experts be set up in keeping with constitutional procedures. iReports-ng.com gathered that some of Suntai’s die hard aides already displaced by Umar have decided to leak the move as they have been denied of resources to fight the acting governor.



The medical team made up of five doctors one of which would be the Governor’s Physician would then examine Suntai. According to the 1999 constitution, the House of Assembly is saddled with the responsibility of constituting the team.

An earlier move to set up the team was frustrated when the former SSG, Amb. Emmanuel Njiwah declined to raise such a memo. It reportedly led to a frosty relationship between Njiwah and the acting governor, Garba Umar. Njiwah was sacked on the charges of corruption. He has since gone to court to challenge his ouster.

The source said pro-Umar politicians are peeved with the recent public display of Suntai by aides. They say it was all stage managed and that Suntai is still incapacitated.

Analysts believe the latest move might scale through considering that the state EXCO is decidedly pro-Umar.Umar also has the majority in the House of Assembly.

The speaker, Hon. Josiah Kente, is a pro-Umar member who may easily buy into the move.The choice of the holiday season is also viewed as effective as the move may take many unawares.

On October 25, 2012, Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai crashed close to Yola, while flying a personal aircraft. Initial reports indicated he might have been dead but later reports confirmed that he was in prolonged coma. He was evacuated to the National Hospital Abuja, later on to Germany and finally to a rehabilitation hospital in the United States of America. There are medical indications that Suntai suffered serious brain damage as a result. Thus, he was away from his duty post for over 10 months. After 21 days of his absence, the Taraba State Assembly invoked Section 190(1) and the deputy governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, was sworn in as acting governor. It will be recalled that Suntai impeached his elected deputy, Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi, just about nine days before his plane crashed.
He was few months back brought back into the country to resume work even when it is obvious he is unfit. The latest move may therefore be the last move to end the politricks going on in the state


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