Governor Danbaba Suntai's return and the imperatives of caution in Taraba
By Abdulkareem Haruna Umar
Taraba state has in the past five days been on national spotlight for the wrong and or right reasons.
Right in the constitutional sense that a governor who had been away on sick leave for about ten months returns in good physical shape, and should be expected to resume his official job as the state's chief executive.
Wrong on the grounds that the governor who had suffered severe brain injury after a fatal plane crash that had rendered void his mind, which medical science says cannot assume any executive role again till an appreciable number of years of recuperation, is now being forced to take over the rein of power from his deputy who all these while, had held fort as acting governor.
I spoke with my colleagues, journalists in Taraba state, who confirmed that just as it was shown on TV clips and newspaper pages, the man could hardly appreciate his environment talk more of people. He was being aided to walk down his aircraft stairs, and had to respond to greeting only after some explanation or command from his aides.
But surprisingly this same man was said to have immediately wrote a letter to the state Assembly seeking to resume office in just a period of 48 hours.
The speaker of the state Assembly had also did the wrong and right thing in respect of his reaction to that letter. Wrong in the sense that he had no constitutional powers to reject an executive communication of such or any form coming from the state Governor. He did right, on moral grounds, in the sense that he sought verification to clear doubts as to the veracity of the claims of the letter bearer that the executive communication was actually authored and signe by the governor.
The speaker, without risking being his brief holder, acted in such manner perhaps so that posterity would judge him kindly for being cautious of letting the leadership of the state being hijacked by some elements.
The speaker had complained being denied access to even see the governor, whom they believe was not in the right frame to have signed that letter.
So was his deputy who was practically barred from even welcoming him at the airport.
That was the turmoil the return of Suntai is gradually leading Taraba state into. A constitutional political crisis foreshadows and the consequences seemed grave.
I cannot confirm this, but the whole theatrics brews upon the burners of religion. A Christian friend told me that Taraba is constituted with a heavily lopsided Christain majority. And since its creation, more than a decade ago, Christian rule the state. The emergence of the present deputy governor and of course acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, a Muslim is obviously intolerable for the Christian majority - which is understandable, just like how late Governor Patrick Yakowa's governorship was to the Muslim majority of Kaduna state.
Given all these, my major take is that no matter how we looked at it, this brewing conflict, if not handled with he wisdom of Solomon, would plunge the state into a melee that would be unequal to Boko Haram insurgency.
Except Governor Suntai comes out to douse the tension in Taraba, by addressing his people, talking to the speaker and his deputy and telling them "guys thanks for being there for me, now am back", no amount of constitutional gymnastics would save Taraba from this impending turmoil.
If truly Suntai is not with required soundness of mind to function as governor, he should simply okay his loyal deputy, whom I learnt had been his best friend, to continue to act as governor, while he takes time off to recuperate.
If not, applying the late Yaraduwa syndrome would yield nothing but embarrassment to those behind his return. They may succeed for now, but their plottings would not tarry before it crumbles like pack of cards.
It is high time the people of Taraba to, in their enlightened self-interest put their state first before any premorial considerations like greed, tribe and religion.
If science is what we all believe now rules all supreme arguments, then I will you with the medical analysis of governor Suntai's brain injury as written by one
By Abdulkareem Haruna Umar
Taraba state has in the past five days been on national spotlight for the wrong and or right reasons.
Right in the constitutional sense that a governor who had been away on sick leave for about ten months returns in good physical shape, and should be expected to resume his official job as the state's chief executive.
Wrong on the grounds that the governor who had suffered severe brain injury after a fatal plane crash that had rendered void his mind, which medical science says cannot assume any executive role again till an appreciable number of years of recuperation, is now being forced to take over the rein of power from his deputy who all these while, had held fort as acting governor.
I spoke with my colleagues, journalists in Taraba state, who confirmed that just as it was shown on TV clips and newspaper pages, the man could hardly appreciate his environment talk more of people. He was being aided to walk down his aircraft stairs, and had to respond to greeting only after some explanation or command from his aides.
But surprisingly this same man was said to have immediately wrote a letter to the state Assembly seeking to resume office in just a period of 48 hours.
The speaker of the state Assembly had also did the wrong and right thing in respect of his reaction to that letter. Wrong in the sense that he had no constitutional powers to reject an executive communication of such or any form coming from the state Governor. He did right, on moral grounds, in the sense that he sought verification to clear doubts as to the veracity of the claims of the letter bearer that the executive communication was actually authored and signe by the governor.
The speaker, without risking being his brief holder, acted in such manner perhaps so that posterity would judge him kindly for being cautious of letting the leadership of the state being hijacked by some elements.
The speaker had complained being denied access to even see the governor, whom they believe was not in the right frame to have signed that letter.
So was his deputy who was practically barred from even welcoming him at the airport.
That was the turmoil the return of Suntai is gradually leading Taraba state into. A constitutional political crisis foreshadows and the consequences seemed grave.
I cannot confirm this, but the whole theatrics brews upon the burners of religion. A Christian friend told me that Taraba is constituted with a heavily lopsided Christain majority. And since its creation, more than a decade ago, Christian rule the state. The emergence of the present deputy governor and of course acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, a Muslim is obviously intolerable for the Christian majority - which is understandable, just like how late Governor Patrick Yakowa's governorship was to the Muslim majority of Kaduna state.
Given all these, my major take is that no matter how we looked at it, this brewing conflict, if not handled with he wisdom of Solomon, would plunge the state into a melee that would be unequal to Boko Haram insurgency.
Except Governor Suntai comes out to douse the tension in Taraba, by addressing his people, talking to the speaker and his deputy and telling them "guys thanks for being there for me, now am back", no amount of constitutional gymnastics would save Taraba from this impending turmoil.
If truly Suntai is not with required soundness of mind to function as governor, he should simply okay his loyal deputy, whom I learnt had been his best friend, to continue to act as governor, while he takes time off to recuperate.
If not, applying the late Yaraduwa syndrome would yield nothing but embarrassment to those behind his return. They may succeed for now, but their plottings would not tarry before it crumbles like pack of cards.
It is high time the people of Taraba to, in their enlightened self-interest put their state first before any premorial considerations like greed, tribe and religion.
If science is what we all believe now rules all supreme arguments, then I will you with the medical analysis of governor Suntai's brain injury as written by one
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