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Tag: Taraba

  • Taraba Speaker dies of ‘heart ailment’

    •Tambuwal, Suntai mourn

    Taraba State House of Assembly Speaker Haruna Tsokwa is dead.

    Tsokwa, who was 47, died yesterday at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, the state capital.

    The FMC’s Medical Director, Dr. W. Inusa, declined comments, but sources said the late Speaker died of “heart-related ailment”.

    Aides said Tsokwa slumped in his home before he was taken to the hospital.

    This was not the first time the deceased had slumped, a source told The Nation.

    The late Tsokwa was nominated to lead the state’s pilgrims to Israel on November 3.

    The Assembly’s spokesman, Timothy Iyard, who confirmed the incident, said the Speaker died after a “brief illness”.

    His remains have been deposited at a mortuary in the Specialist Hospital, Jalingo.

    The Clerk of the House, Ismailu Ukwen, in a statement, said the Speaker is survived by a wife and children.

    The late Tsokwa was born in Nafingi Dogari in Takum Local Government Area.

    He attended Government Secondary School, Ibbi and Federal University of Technology, Yola.

    The deceased, who represented Takum I Constituency, became Speaker on April 22, after former Speaker Istifanua Haruna Gbana was removed.

    He led 15 of the 24-member Assembly to stop Governor Danbaba Suntai from resuming duty, despite a letter by the recuperating governor.

    Instead, he transferred power to Deputy Governor Garba Umar to continue to act, insisting that Suntai should return to the United States for further treatment.

    Suntai sued the late Speaker and some lawmakers.

    He urged the court to interprete Section 190(2) of the Constitution –a provision which deals with transmission of letter and resumption of work by a governor after prolonged absence.

    The matter was referred to the Appeal Court, following the inability of the parties to settle out of court.

    Tsokwa was attacked by unknown gunmen on the Akwanga-Abuja Road and his security aide was killed.

    House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal has described Tsokwa’s death as “a shock’’.

    In a statement in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Imam Imam, Tambuwal said the deceased lived an exemplary life of dedication and commitment to duty.

    He said the late Speaker was a patriotic Nigerian, whose commitment to the development and independence of the legislature, would be missed.

    Tambuwal said the late Tsokwa combined family life and his duties as a public servant in a commendable manner.

    He prayed to God to give his family, the people of Taraba State and Nigerians the fortitude to bear the loss.

    Suntai described the Speaker’s death as a loss, not just to the state but to the country’s democracy.

    Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary Hassan Mijinyawa yesterday, Suntai said the deceased represented his constituency well.

    The governor said: “The Speaker died at a time when the state is confronted with mild political crisis.

    “He would be remembered for his contributions to the democratic experience in Taraba politics and his ability to stand for any cause he believes in.”

     

  • Taraba Speaker dies of heart ailments

    Taraba Speaker dies of heart ailments

    Taraba state is in grieving mood over the death of the Speaker, Haruna Tsokwa.

    Tsokwa died at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo –the state capital in the early hours of Monday.

    He was 47 years.

    The FMC’s Medical Director, Dr. Wizard Inusa, declined comment on what killed the man who, until the tragedy, was thought to be well.

    Undisclosed sources said he died of “heart-related ailments.”

    His aides said he slumped at home before he was rushed to the hospital, from where he gave up the ghost.

    This is not the first time the deceased slumped, a family source told The Nation.

    Tsokwa was nominated to lead the state Christian pilgrimage to Israel on November 3 but could not travel on health grounds when he reportedly slumped last week.

    The Taraba State House of Assembly’s Public Relations Officer, Timothy Iyard, who officially confirmed the demise of the Speaker to journalists, only said the deceased died of “brief illness.”

    The Speaker’s body was moved from the FMC and deposited at a mortuary in the Specialist Hospital, Jalingo.

    The deceased was representing Takum I constituency in the state Assembly.

    He became Speaker on April 22, after former Speaker Istifanua Haruna Gbana was impeached by the House.

    Tsokwa had led 15 lawmakers, out of the 24-member Assembly, to stop Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai from resuming duty, in spite of the letter the recuperating governor transmitted to the Assembly on his readiness to resume duty.

    Instead, he transmitted power to the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, to continue to act, insisting that Suntai should return to the United States for further treatment.

    Suntai, exasperated by the affront, filed litigation against the late Speaker and majority of the lawmakers, praying the court to give judicial interpretation of Section 190(2) of the Constitution –a Provision which deals with transmission of letter and resumption of work by a governor after prolonged absence.

    The matter was referred to the Appeal Court following the inability of the parties to settle out of court.

    Tsokwa had come under attack by unknown gunmen during a trip along Akwanga-Abuja Road in which his security aide was shot and later died.

    His community in Takum had opposed his stand against the recuperating governor.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Suntai in Church, marks one-year air crash survival

    Suntai in Church, marks one-year air crash survival

    Recuperating governor seeks forgiveness
    Recuperating Governor of  Taraba State, Danbaba Danfulani Suntai caused an emotional scene when he stormed the Unity Chapel Church (UCC) in Government House, Jalingo for thanks giving at the weekend.
    Suntai was pronounced dead when an aircraft he piloted crashed near Yola, the Adamawa State capital, on Thursday, October 25 last year.
    He spent 10 months in Germany and United States hospitals for treatment, returning on August 25.
    He wrote the House of Assembly of his readiness to resume duty but was stopped by the lawmakers on health grounds.
    Last Friday was exactly one year since the governor and his Aide de Camp (ADC) Iliya Dasat, Chief Detail Joel Danladi and Chief Security Officer (CSO) Tino Dangana who were also on board the ill-fated Cessna 208 aircraft survived the air mishap.
    The three aides who were treated in Germany were with the governor during the thanksgiving service. Also accompanying the governor were his wife Hauwa, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) GT Kataps and Chief of Staff, Aminu Jika, among other aides.
    Suntai’s thanksgiving ceremony came a few days after he went out for a fishing expedition to shake off officialdom.
    The congregation was all tears on seeing him. The tears of joy  followed  the governor’s speech, which turned out to be the morning sermon for the worshipers.
    “I thank God that I survived the air crash to see this day. I am happy to reunite with you again,” Suntai said.
    He thanked Taraba residents for their prayers on him which he said have helped him.
    The governor preached forgiveness and asked everybody whom he said he may have offended to forgive him.
    “Do not hold anything against your enemy or anyone at heart. For me and my family, we have forgiven all our adversaries,” he said.
    Suntai said what God has done and shown him, even if he drops dead today (on Friday) he would die a fulfilled mortal.

     

  • Taraba deputy governor survives accident

    The Deputy Governor of Taraba State was involved in a road accident along Gombe/Bauchi Road Sunday morning.

    He survived the accident.

    His Chief Press Secretary, Kefas Sule who confirmed the incident to The Nation said it was not a fatal mishap.
    “All of them came out”, he said.
    Sule said the accident occurred when the convoy of the emir of Bauchi ram into the convoy of the Taraba deputy governor.
  • We’ll settle out of court, Suntai, Speaker tell judge

    We’ll settle out of court, Suntai, Speaker tell judge

    The High Court in Jalingo – the Taraba State capital, on Monday adjourned the suit filed by Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai against the Speaker, Haruna Tsokwa and the House of Assembly to October 28.

    Suntai had approached the court to interpret section 190(2), as it has to do with the letter he transmitted to the House onAugust 26 of his readiness to resume duty that was turned down by lawmakers who asked his deputy Alhaji Garba Umar to run the state as acting governor.
    Although ruling was fixed for Monday, Suntai’s counsel, Elijah Nyaro Esq, through an oral application, told the court that his client (Suntai) and the defendants (Speaker and Assembly) were exploring possible avenues to amicably settle the matter out of court.
    Nyaro said: “Even though the matter (in dispute) was adjourned for ruling today, I have the instructions from lead counsel to the plaintiff, Alex Izinyon (SAN) to apply that the ruling be adjourned for about three weeks, because the parties in the suit are exploring possible and amicable ways of resolving this matter out of court.
    “And as counsels we want to encourage them (Suntai and Tsokwa) to do so, if they so wish”.
    There was no objection from the defendants.
    “We have no objection,” said counsel to the Speaker, Yusufu Akirikwen Esq.
    “Lead counsel to the second defendant, Adebayo Oba Adelodun (SAN), said: “our client (House of Assembly) is interested in peace and is ready to cooperate in any efforts that would bring about peace in Taraba State.”
    Justice Ali Ibrahim Andeyangtso was to rule on whether to grant the defendants referral to the court of appeal or not. He had no option than to defer ruling on the matter.
    He said: “Even though, this ruling is ready, since the plaintiff has asked for adjournment and the defendants have no objection, I will allow them to explore possible avenues to resolving the matter peacefully and amicably.”
    The judge noted that well meaning Nigerians want peace and the constitution enables the court in assisting and encouraging reconciliation, for peace to reign in the land. “This is the only way we can make progress,” Justice Andeyangtso said.
  • Taraba crisis: Police arrest Suntai’s aide

    Taraba crisis: Police arrest Suntai’s aide

    •Ex- commissioner tells IG to call police commissioner to order

    The political crisis in Taraba State worsened at the weekend following the arrest of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Danbaba Suntai on Media and Publicity, Mr. Silvanus Giwa, by the police.

    Giwa was arrested along with four others on Friday at about 10:30p.m in Jalingo –the state capital.

    One of the detainees, Hamidu Ali, a lawyer, who with his friends –including Giwa – were holding a valedictory session for him, was billed to leave for Mecca yesterday. The trip was, however, aborted because of his arrest.

    The detainees were still in police custody when The Nation correspondent visited the Taraba State Police Command, Jalingo yesterday.

    Asked what their crime was, the governor’s aide said he was only told that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jubril Adeniji, ordered his arrest.

    It was gathered that the commissioner allegedly acted on the orders of the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar.

    “I don’t know why I am here; I don’t know my offence,” Giwa said while fielding questions from newsmen at the State Command yesterday.

    However, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the deputy governor, Mr. Kefas Sule, denied that Umar has a hand in Giwa’s arrest and detention. “It is not true,” he said.

    He said he met with the deputy governor who said he unaware of the arrest. He added that a security meeting was arranged for the police commissioner to brief Umar on the arrest.

    Police Spokesman, Joseph Kwaji, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) told The Nation that he could not comment on the arrest.

    The Nation learnt that Giwa’s arrest is not unconnected with his statement on Thursday in which he debunked claims by the Deputy Governor he (Umar) was 100 percent loyal to his principal, Governor Danbaba Suntai.

    Umar had said: “I make bold to declare to you that I am loyal to my boss, brother and friend. I have not engaged myself in anything to undermine his authority.”

    Umar spoke at the Executive Chamber of Government House at a meeting with local government council chairmen and traditional rulers.

    But Giwa on Thursday had said Suntai and other residents have lost the confidence they reposed in Umar because he has betrayed them.

    He said: “His (Umar’s) activities are a direct opposite of what he keeps saying.”

    Reacting to Giwa’s arrest, former Commissioner of Information, Emmanuel Bello, described the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jubril Adeniji, as the acting governor’s agent of intimidation.

    He said in a statement,“The arrest, torture and continuous detention last night of Governor Danbaba Suntai’s media aide by the police is the latest proof of the return of jungle justice and a reign of terror in Taraba under Alhaji Garba Umar.”

    He accused the deputy governor of disloyalty running an illegal government.

    A lawyer, Ibrahim Effiong, has described as “unconstitutional,” the arrest of Giwa. He urged the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jubril Adeniji, who is also a lawyer, not to be used for cheap political business.

    Quoting Section 35(3) of the Constitution, Effiong noted that “the police ought to have informed Giwa in writing and in a language he understands, on the grounds and facts of his arrest within 24hours,” failure to which, he said, amounted to “impunity.”

  • Umar playing religious card in Taraba, says Bwacha

    Umar playing religious card in Taraba, says Bwacha

    Senate Committee on Agriculture Chairman Emmanuel Bwacha represents Taraba South District in the Senate. He spoke with Assistant Editor Onyedi Ojiabor on the protracted crises between Governor Danbaba Suntai and his deputy, Alhaji Garba Umar.

     

     

    Legislators from Taraba State recently held a meeting on the crisis in the state in Abuja. Why were you not there?

    I was not there because I cannot be associated with illegality. At this level of my legislative experience, I don’t want to condescend so low to behave as if I were a local government counselor.

    With due respect to my colleagues, they veered into a territory that does not belong to them. First, there is no law backing what they did. It was a total illegality. It is a nullity, it does not make sense. In a civilised society nobody is expected to do what they did.

    You cannot just wake up and ask a governor, who is protected by the law of the country, to proceed on a sick leave. This is a governor who has just been discharged from a hospital in the United States, and he was asked to come home and stay with his family, stay with his associates, so that he can have full recovery.

    Now, for you to wake up and say you are passing a resolution that he should go back for treatment, that sounds ridiculous. It is as ridiculous as it is bizarre. It is never heard of any where. That was why you did not see me there because I cannot ridicule myself.

    Those who addressed the press spoke on the platform of Taraba State National Assembly caucus…

    That is not true. I’m a serving senator. How many senators are from Taraba State? Three. How many were there. Only one. Does that answer your question? How many House of Representatives members are from Taraba State? Six. How many were there? So, does that reflect our larger view?

    This is the opinion of a few people who are unconscious of situation that the state is in, and what the law says. It is either they chose to ignore what the law says or they are ignorant. Among these two things, one must be happening. It is either they know and refused to say the truth and chose to go with an unpopular view, either informed by sentiment or primordial and very negative sentiment or they don’t know.

    But these are stakeholders from Taraba State…

    I know they are elected people. Don’t elected people blunder?

    How many elected people have blundered in this country? From Independence, how many elected people have behaved as if they did not even go to school? I’ telling you what the law says. It is very clear, the provision is incontestable. The House of Assembly has limitations. So, the power of the House of Assembly or the National Assembly is not in contest but it does not include advising a governor to go for treatment. Is that the function of the parliament? There are processes through which you determine a governor who is sick. The Sections are there Sections 189 and 190 of the Constitution are there for you to seek clarification. If you say, well the governor is sick, fine. You will implore or deploy the necessary legislative instruments to drive home your points. You don’t go and stand in the street and make a press statement asking the governor to proceed on leave. That sounds very ridiculous.

    You are aware that the state is boiling. What is the way out of the crisis?

    We need to undersdtand onre thing first. This is a man, a deputy governor, who never contested election with the governor. The deputy governor, who contested election with the governor was impeached. The governor in his own magnanimity went and brought this man from nowhere because he came from the same local government with the deputy governor who was impeached. It is in the governor’s policy that where he removed a public officer he prefers to patronize the people from those areas and he brought him. Also mindful of the fact that his deputy was a Moslem and he needs to bring a Moslem.That is to tell you the type of person Suntai is. He believes in every Nigerian, and trusts that every Nigerian should behave normal.

    Otherwise, the way the deputy governor has poisoned the minds of our Moslem brothers, if Suntai had brought a Christian to be his deputy at that time, heavens wouldn’t have fallen because it wasn’t an election.

    But, here you see a convergence of morality and law. The governor is protected by law. He went on treatment, was involved in rare air crash, very uncommon. He belonged to three percent globally in the history of aviation industry three per cent that an aircraft will fall from the sky and nobody dies there. That is amazing grace and mercy of God. He returned from the hospital, the hospital authorities told him go back and recuperate finally at home. And he is coming back home to meet a hostile deputy governor. This world is not our home. Certainly we are here on pilgrimage. And in a market place you will meet all kinds of characters, the good, the bad and the ugly. Certainly, this is not an exception of the ugly scenario.

    I am still asking you the way out of the situation …

    The way out of the situation, except if the deputy governor has refused that he is no longer the deputy governor; the way out is simple, the deputy governor was a deputy governor when he was brought in. Your principal here returned, you revert to your position of a deputy governor. But the deputy governor is refusing to revert back to his position as deputy governor. He wants to assert himself. What sort of heartlessness is this? Why can’t be patient for God’s sake? Has he for gotten so soon how he joined the governor? He was barely two weeks old in the government when the governor had the accident. Has he thrown morality to the dust bin that he flies all over the place visiting traditional rulers in the north telling them lies? He wants to assert himself as the governor. Does he know that there is one God that rules over the affairs of men? Let me tell you, the deputy governor remains the deputy governor, Suntai remains the governor. Suntai has just been discharged from the hospital. Suntai is also known to be somebody who is not economical with power. Ask about him, the deputy governor that was impeached, when he was there the man was virtually the governor because Suntai has no crave for primitive accumulation that you see around. He delegates power to the deputy and the deputy acts as if he were the governor.

    Why is the deputy governor refusing to accept the position he was before? Must he be substantive governor before he begins to act? If you know that this is your principal that brought you and if loyalty is there, you can go to him. Suntai doesn’t necessarily want to come around and start jumping around as if he wants to play football. He can delegate power to his deputy to represent him any where. What are Nigerians talking about?

    There are talks of religion and ethnicity in the whole affairs…

    It is true that there is politics of ethnicity across the country. It is also true that they do politics of religion. The deputy governor is holding on to politics of religion to recruit sympathisers from outside of Taraba. That is exactly what he is doing.

    Now, he is telling the world that Taraba people don’t want a Moslem to be governor. If God wants him to be governor, no man can stop him. If he is a true Moslem, he should know this. He knows that God would have killed Danbaba (Suntai) at the scene of the accident. Yero in Kaduna is now governor. Was Yakowa not involved in air crash? Yakowa is dead because that is how God wants it? His deputy is now governor. God that preserved the governor’s life at the scene of the accident; is the God no longer there?

    Some observers say what is unfolding in your state is the politics of 2015

    I don’t know about that because I’m a Christian. I practice true Christianity in the sense that I do not do so much projections about the future. If any thing else, I submit to the will of God and allow the Holy Spirit to lead me. First and foremost, nobody can stay here and begin to talk about 2015 when he doesn’t even know what is the situation in the world. Would the world still be the same in 2015? How close are you to your God? Do you know that the world is in the rapture mood? People are so crazy and wild about power and they forget that any moment from now, the rapture can take place. People don’t bother about this. What will happen in 2015 can only be determined by God, especially in Taraba. That has always been the scenario by the way. That God decides who emerges governor. Suntai never contested to be governor. Go and ask. The popular ones eventually don’t end up being the governor. That is how God treats Taraba. That is our own natural gift from God. It is not by might, it is not by money, it is not by connection. God, in His own way, will just bring up somebody He wants. So, people should stop wasting their time. I will also advise even Suntai loyalist, I’m very close to Suntai, I also know that I’m not expected to fight his fight, why because God that preserved him is there to do the fighting for him.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Court adjourns Suntai’s suit against lawmakers

    Court adjourns Suntai’s suit against lawmakers

    The high court in Jalingo – the Taraba state capital Thursday adjourned the suit filed by Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai against the Speaker, Haruna Tsokwa and 15 other lawmakers for stopping him from resuming duty, after returning from a 10-month medical trip in German and United States hospitals, until Tuesday.
    In the proceeding, the governor’s chief attorney, Alex Izinyon, SAN, called for a stand-down but the judge, Hon. Justice Ali Ibrahim Andeyangtso overruled when Counsel to the first defendant (Speaker Haruna Tsokwa), Micah Musa Esq moved a motion for adjournment.
    Musa and Counsel to the second defendant (House of Assembly), Adebayo Oba Adelodun, SAN, said the filling of counter affidavits by them just took place on Wednesday and they needed time to respond to the processes brought by the plaintiff (Suntai).
    Both parties unanimously agreed to adjourn hearing until Tuesday, September 17.
    There were two processes brought by counsel to the governor and a third process by counsel to the House.
    In the originating summon: Danbaba Danfulani Suntai and the Speaker, Taraba State and 1OR (TRSJ/306m/2013), Suntai is praying the court to declare that the letter he transmitted to the House is “absolute, mandatory obeisant, immutable and cannot be debated or contradicted by any means whatsoever as the first and second defendants lack any discretion in the circumstance and that upon transmission of the said letter, he has automatically assumed his powers and responsibilities as governor of Taraba state”.
    The second process: Danbaba Danfulani Suntai and the Speaker, Taraba State and 1OR (TRSJ/94/2013), the governor is seeking the order of perpetual injunction constraining the Speaker and the House from “debating, interfering with, doing anything in connection with or in relation to the letter transmitted by the plaintiff to the first defendant (Speaker), pursuant to Section 190(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended”.
    In the third process, Counsel to the House of Assembly filed a motion referring the matter to the court of appeal.
    Governor Suntai, who earlier dissolved the State Executive Council and appointed a new Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chief of Staff, is suing the Speaker, Haruna Tsokwa and the House of Assembly for stopping him from resuming duty after his medical trip –insisting that his deputy, Alhaji Garba Umar should remain the acting governor, until the House deliberates on his letter, and also for asking him to appear on the floor of the House to speak to lawmakers.
     

  • Group urge elders to intervene in Taraba crisis

    A pressure group, Coalition of Taraba Youth Movement, on Thursday in Jalingo, called on elder statesmen in the state to intervene in the political crisis over Gov. Danbaba Suntai’s health.
    The President of the coalition, Alhaji Abba Abubakar, made the call at a news conference.
    He said the intervention of the state assembly, PDP fact-finding committee and other stakeholders, were ignored by some “few individuals”, adding that it had left the state at the risk of violence.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Suntai returned to the state on Aug. 25 after 10 months of medical treatment abroad following injuries he sustained in a plane crash in October 2012.
    The state assembly and the PDP committee mandated Garba Umar to continue to act as governor but should consult the ailing governor on major political decisions.
    Abubakar urged prominent indigenes of the state, including Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, Amb. Idris Waziri, Rev. Jolly Nyame and Dr Mohammed Shata, to resolve the crisis.
    “We want the elders to take a stand on this issue in order to find lasting solution.
    “It is our hope that the cabal that is behind this unfortunate political crisis may listen to the words of the elders and refrain from this act.”

    He said that the coalition supported the decision of the state legislature and the PDP that Umar should continue until Suntai fully recovered.

  • Suntai, Taraba and a party divided down the line

    The ‘return to work’ of Governor Danbaba Suntai which sparked crisis is only one out of the many challenges that have divided the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State. FANEN IHYONGO writes on the factions and the consequence that await the party in 2015 polls if the current political impasse is allowed to escalate.

     

     

    It was not his return to the country seeking to resume his duties as governor after undergoing treatment abroad for 10 months that divided the state neither was it the letter Governor Danbaba Suntai transmitted to the State House of Assembly informing the lawmakers of his purported resumption of duty that polarised the legislature. Even before his return on Sunday, August 25, from New York, United States of America from where he had his second leg of treatment, not only the House, but the entire state was already divided.

    Simmering crisis

    Before the October 25 air crash in which he was wounded while piloting the aircraft, Taraba was already in crisis. The PDP has been fractioned into two camps. The party has been living with the crisis and suffering from its self-inflicted wounds because of undemocratic tendencies under the umbrella.

    Suntai’s final return into the state only deepened the old cracks and reinvigorated the battle that has been going on in the state chapter. From the beginning there were two camps: Governor Suntai’s camp and Senator Aisha Alhassan’s faction. The governor and the senator representing Taraba north were the gladiators. The Alhassan faction was known for consistently opposing the policies of Suntai’s administration. When Suntai got involved in the air crash and was flown abroad, his camp gave birth to the Umar faction -what is now referred to as the UTC Camp.

    But now that Suntai and Umar are locked in the bitter battle of wit, the Alhassan faction has ensnared.

    Senator Alhassan has refused to back either Umar or Suntai because she also has the ambition to contest the governorship in 2015. The calculation is that if she takes sides with Umar, she will jeopardise her ambition since she and Umar hail from the same north senatorial district. Besides, the two are Muslims, and Umar been a man in the saddle of power may have an edge over her during the primaries. Alhassan will also not support Suntai because of the governor’s open secret to cede the 2015 governorship slot to south of the state.

    Alhassan has in her camp former PDP Chairman Alhaji Abdulmumini Vaki, she is also trying to reabsorb former Governor Jolly Nyame and Danladi Baido who defected to the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) during the April 2011 general elections back into the ruling party’s fold.

    For now, the battle on who steers the ship of Taraba is between the deputy governor and his boss. The House is divided into two; 16 lawmakers are for Umar while Suntai has eight.

    PDP has 22 of the 24 legislators while the remaining two were elected on the platform of the defunct CPC. Out of the 16 who are supporting Umar, 14 are PDP.

    The lawmakers backing Umar are Speaker Haruna Tsokwa (Takum I constituency), Deputy Speaker Tamko Adamu Maikarfi (Gassol I), Chief Whip Mohammed Gwampo (Yorro), Deputy Majority Leader Josiah Sabo Kente (Wukari I), Deputy Chief Whip Mohamed Umar (Gashaka), Minority Leader Ibrahim Imam (Jalingo I), Minority Whip Yahaya Abduraman (Gassol II) and Iratsi Daki (Ussa).

    Other pro-Umar lawmakers are: Rashia Abdullahi (Nguroje), Aminu Jalingo (Jalingo II), Emmanuel Dame (Ardo-Kola), John Bonzema (Zing), A. A. Jugulde (Gembu), Hamandama Abdullahi (Bali II), Abdulkarim Mohammed (Ibi) and Edward Baraya (Karim-Lamido II).

    The eight lawmakers -all PDP who are backing Suntai are: Majority Leader Joseph Albasu (Lau), Charles Maijankai (Karim-Lamido I), Istifanus Haruna Gbana (Donga), Abel Peter Diah (Mbamga), Daniel Ishaya Gani (Wukari II), Mark Useni (Takum II), Charles Ishaku Audu (Kurmi) and Gambo Maikudi (Bali I).

    Allegation of bribery

    Besides the allegation that the 16 lawmakers were bribed to the tune of N25million each, sources said the Speaker has been chosen to be Umar’s deputy if he becomes the substantive governor. The 16 rejected Suntai’s letter of return, saying he did not author it. They invited the governor to the House on the premise that he was voted into power for transparency, not to shroud his strength or frailty in the dark.

    The Majority Leader and his group have given Suntai the go-ahead to resume work, after he transmitted a letter to the House. The crisis became explosive.

    When the Senator Hope Uzodinnma’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fact-finding team ceded the running of the state to Umar, to act as governor while Suntai stays in the Government House, the Speaker and 15 other members hailed the deal. Playing the same script with Umar, the 16 lawmakers believe the governor is not yet fit to perform his constitutional duties and should, therefore, return to the United States of America to complete his rehabilitation.

    But the House Majority Leader and other seven lawmakers who are in support of Suntai rejected the resolution by the party, saying “the committee lacks the power to do so”.

    They want the matter to be settled as provided by the constitution. “We are miffed by Senator Hope Uzodinma’s dubious misadventure and a cocktail of contradictions which he clearly displayed at the end of the visit of the PDP fact finding committee to the state,” Albasu said.

    The majority of members of the dissolved state cabinet and other political appointees are rooting for Suntai to resume work. They, like the eight lawmakers, have proclaimed Suntai as physically and mentally sound to carry on as governor.

    Former Speaker Istifanus Haruna Gbana, with his deputy Abel Peter Diah and former Majority Leader Charles Maijankai were removed at the prompting of the deputy governor. So it is common knowledge that they will not back the deputy governor in the ensuing crisis.

    Five out of the seven commissioners: Iliya Wanapia (Finance), Emmanuel Bello (Information) Jonah Agyo (Works), Isa Musa (Poverty Alleviation), G. T. Kataps (Justice) and Augustine Katakata (Commerce and Industry) are pro-Suntai. For the records, Suntai appointed Katakata commissioner while the latter was on sick bed. He will not be against Suntai on health grounds.

    Alhaji Abdulhadi Haruna Lau (Social Welfare, Youth and Sports) Danfulani Kwetaka (Environment) are for Umar. Sources said Lau runs errand for the deputy governor.

    The former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Emmanuel Njiwah, five former commissioners and four advisers who were sacked by the deputy governor are supporting Suntai.

    The five commissioners and two advisers were sacked by Umar for allegedly mismanaging N400 million flood mitigating grant. The other two advisers: Tonyonga Binga (Education) and Joseph Magaji Tahwa (Rural Development) were sacked because, according Umar, their services were no longer required.

    The sacked commissioners: Mr. Anthony Jellason (Agriculture); Mr. Rabo Usman (Water Resources); Mr. Yakubu Agbaizo (Education); Jonah Agyo (Works) and Miss Christy Green (Women Affairs) as well as Joshua Augustine, Special Adviser on Revenue, and Manasseh Kaura, Special Adviser on Border Development are in support of Suntai. They have even sued the deputy governor and the leadership of the House headed by Speaker Tsokwa. Agbaizo is also with Suntai. He has proclaimed that the governor was grooming him quietly to grab the party’s governorship ticket.

    Former Commissioner for Health, Mustapha Hammangabdo, who was also indicted by the House report for allegedly feasting on the flood relief funds -although he resigned few hours before Umar’s axe- is behind the deputy governor. Source said he resigned on the advice of the deputy governor who promised to carry him along in the long run.

    The intrigues

    Among the other 18 Special Advisers, Adviser on Government Projects Orbee Uchir and the Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bashir Marafa who married a younger sister of Suntai’s wife are supporting the deputy governor. Marafa is contesting for the Senate in 2015 and stands a better chance if Suntai who also has ambition to run for senate in the Central zone is schemed out of power.

    Former SSG Garveh Yawe and Chief of Staff Ahmed Yusuf, appointed by Umar are in his support, while Mallam Aminu Jika, Suntai’s appointed Chief of Staff is pro-Suntai. The PDP State Chairman, Victor Bala and most of the ruling party’s officials are pro-Suntai. They were assisted by the governor to clinch their posts as party executives. Bala and most of his men are supporting Suntai to rotate power to the southern state.

    If a Christian governorship candidate emerges from the south, he will likely pick a Muslim deputy from the central zone. If the Majority Leader -Albasu – who is from the northern zone wins second term, he stands to benefit as Speaker in the 2015 political equation.

    In the National Assembly, Senator Abubakar Tutare is in support of Umar because he sees Suntai as a threat to his second term ambition. As an incumbent in the senate, he sees his chances brighter when he has only Marafa to contend with for the ticket.

    Senator Emmanuel Bwacha is behind Suntai. He hails from the southern zone and is considered as one of Suntai’s favourites in clinching the PDP governorship ticket for 2015 polls.

    For the six members of the House of Representatives (all PDP), Bawa Ishaka Mohammed (Ibi/Wukari), Jerry Manwe (Karim-Lamido/Lau/Ardo-Kola), Ibrahim Elsudi Tukur (Gashaka/Kurmi/Sardauna) and Sam Tsokwa (Donga/Ussa/Takum/Yangtu) are for Umar while Haruna Manu (Bali/Gassol) is for Suntai. Tsokwa believes that the success of Suntai would give Mark Useni (who is also running for Reps in 2015) the upper hand to grab the PDP ticket. Aminu Ibrahim Malle (Jalingo/Yorro/Zing) who is from the defunct CPC is also in support of Umar. The other House of Reps members have backed Umar based on religious sentiment.

    Salome Jankada and General Adamu Tubase Ibrahim (rtd) are for Umar. The two want the party’s ticket to contest the senate from Taraba south district.

    All the state’s 16 local council bosses including the coordinator of the Special Area -Yangtu are supporting Suntai. The ominous sign is that whichever group that wins the soul of the state will never trust the other. The consequence is that the cracks in the party will continue to widen until the party will finally disintegrate like a shell fallen from high grounds. Many members will leave en mass to the opposition.

    The Alhassan/Vaki state faction has pitched tent with Alhaji Kawu Baraje faction at the national level. They are protesting the exclusion of their faction from the recently-concluded national convention of the party in Abuja.

    The camp has been challenging the legitimacy of the election that brought Bala as Chairman of the party in Taraba. They want new congresses to be held and a new leadership to be formed in Taraba, even as they call for the removal of Bamanga Tukur as national chairman. Tukur is also accused by the Suntai camp of taking sides with Umar. Whichever way it goes the party is divided down the line.