Five
months after his boss was hospitalized in a foreign hospital over injuries he
sustained in a chopper crash, the Acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba
Umar, appears to be consolidating and set to emerge the substantive governor.
months after his boss was hospitalized in a foreign hospital over injuries he
sustained in a chopper crash, the Acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba
Umar, appears to be consolidating and set to emerge the substantive governor.
Alhaji
Umar may have finalized his emergence in Nairobi, Kenya when some top
Presidency officials, National Assembly members and chieftains of his Peoples
Decmocratic Party (PDP) sealed the hope of Governor Danbaba Suntai coming back
to office. The occasion was the swearing-in of Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta
three weeks ago. Sources told Daily Sun that it was for the purpose of
resolving the Taraba’s political imbroglio that made the officials and Umar to
embark on the trip.
Umar may have finalized his emergence in Nairobi, Kenya when some top
Presidency officials, National Assembly members and chieftains of his Peoples
Decmocratic Party (PDP) sealed the hope of Governor Danbaba Suntai coming back
to office. The occasion was the swearing-in of Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta
three weeks ago. Sources told Daily Sun that it was for the purpose of
resolving the Taraba’s political imbroglio that made the officials and Umar to
embark on the trip.
“The
trip afforded the officials and the Acting Governor effectively brainstorming
on the political situation in Taraba, and the way forward. “The Acting Governor
was able to frankly discuss the frustrations he has been allegedly encountering
in the hands of Suntai family and aides, and how the situation has frustrated
the smooth running of governance,” the source offered. Daily Sun gathered that
it was at the Nairobi meeting that Umar was encouraged to take full control of
the legislature by getting the members change their leadership.
trip afforded the officials and the Acting Governor effectively brainstorming
on the political situation in Taraba, and the way forward. “The Acting Governor
was able to frankly discuss the frustrations he has been allegedly encountering
in the hands of Suntai family and aides, and how the situation has frustrated
the smooth running of governance,” the source offered. Daily Sun gathered that
it was at the Nairobi meeting that Umar was encouraged to take full control of
the legislature by getting the members change their leadership.
Barely
two weeks after Acting Governor Umar returned from Kenya, 17 out of the
24-member Assembly met and announced the removal of Speaker Istifanus Gbana,
his deputy, and the Majority Leader. Interestingly, unlike in many other states
that have experienced turbulent changes in their House leaderships, ousted
leaders of the Taraba Assembly said they took their removal in good faith.
two weeks after Acting Governor Umar returned from Kenya, 17 out of the
24-member Assembly met and announced the removal of Speaker Istifanus Gbana,
his deputy, and the Majority Leader. Interestingly, unlike in many other states
that have experienced turbulent changes in their House leaderships, ousted
leaders of the Taraba Assembly said they took their removal in good faith.
“This
clearly showed that they had succumbed to superior power which definitely
operated from outside the state. And with the complete overhaul of the Assembly
leadership, dissolving the State Executive Council (SEC) by Umar would be a
stroll in the park,” the source explained. Since Monday’s change of guards at
the state legislature, Daily Sun gathered, top politicians appointed by Suntai
have begun to switch loyalty to the acting Governor. “The coup clearly showed
that for Suntai, the game is over.
clearly showed that they had succumbed to superior power which definitely
operated from outside the state. And with the complete overhaul of the Assembly
leadership, dissolving the State Executive Council (SEC) by Umar would be a
stroll in the park,” the source explained. Since Monday’s change of guards at
the state legislature, Daily Sun gathered, top politicians appointed by Suntai
have begun to switch loyalty to the acting Governor. “The coup clearly showed
that for Suntai, the game is over.
Since
Monday, those die-hard loyalists of Suntai have begun to worm their ways into
the heart of Umar and members of his family. Obviously, they don’t want to lose
out of the power game,” a source close to the Government House in Jalingo explained.
Another source spoke on the anxiety which Suntai’s condition had created in the
national and Taraba State chapters of the ruling PDP. “PDP at the state and
national levels have been worried by Suntai’s condition. The worry is that
keeping Umar as Acting Governor indefinitely could take its toll on the
fortunes of the party. “PDP in neighbouring Adamawa State is in crisis.
Monday, those die-hard loyalists of Suntai have begun to worm their ways into
the heart of Umar and members of his family. Obviously, they don’t want to lose
out of the power game,” a source close to the Government House in Jalingo explained.
Another source spoke on the anxiety which Suntai’s condition had created in the
national and Taraba State chapters of the ruling PDP. “PDP at the state and
national levels have been worried by Suntai’s condition. The worry is that
keeping Umar as Acting Governor indefinitely could take its toll on the
fortunes of the party. “PDP in neighbouring Adamawa State is in crisis.
Keeping
Umar as Acting Governor indefinitely could send wrong signals that PDP didn’t
care about the feelings of Taraba people. This could provide a perfect breeding
ground for All Progressives Congress (APC) sentiments,” the source stressed.
For five months, Taraba State had been without a substantive governor. Suntai
had been in hospital following injuries he sustained when the small aircraft he
was flying crashed near Yola, Adamawa State. He is presently said to be
undergoing therapy sessions at John Hopkins Hospital in the United States.
Umar as Acting Governor indefinitely could send wrong signals that PDP didn’t
care about the feelings of Taraba people. This could provide a perfect breeding
ground for All Progressives Congress (APC) sentiments,” the source stressed.
For five months, Taraba State had been without a substantive governor. Suntai
had been in hospital following injuries he sustained when the small aircraft he
was flying crashed near Yola, Adamawa State. He is presently said to be
undergoing therapy sessions at John Hopkins Hospital in the United States.
Source:
Sun
Sun
