Taraba Assembly divided over Danbaba Suntai’s fitness to resume governorship duties

There was confusion in Taraba State on Wednesday as the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Haruna Tsokwa and the Majority Leader, Mr. Joseph Albasu, disagreed on who ran the affairs of the state as governor.

While Tsokwa said the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Alhaji Garba Umar, would continue to act as governor until the Assembly deliberated on the letter by the recuperating Governor Danbaba Suntai seeking to resume duty, Albasu claimed that Suntai had already taken charge as the state’s Chief Executive.

The Majority Leader told journalists at the assembly complex in Jalingo that the lawmakers gave the governor the nod to begin work since he had fulfilled the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

Albasu, who said he was speaking for all the lawmakers, added that the governor was mentally fit to carry out his duties.

He argued that the constitution did not make it mandatory for a governor to appear before the assembly on the matter in question.

The Majority Leader, also stated that it was against the spirit of the constitution for the assembly to debate the letter by Suntai.

But the Speaker faulted him, saying the governor must appear before the Assembly or be prepared to receive its principal officers in his office in the Government House, Jalingo.

He said, “Governor Suntai has transmitted a letter to the Assembly, but his deputy, Alhaji Umar, will continue to act, until this assembly deliberates on his letter.”

The speaker, who claimed that he was unaware of the claims by the Majority Leader, also confirmed earlier reports that Suntai’s wife blocked him from seeing her husband on Tuesday.

Tsokwa became the speaker when Istifanus Haruna Gbana –an ally of Suntai, was removed while Suntai was still receiving treatment abroad for injuries he sustained last October when a small plane he piloted crashed.

Findings on Tuesday showed that apart from the speaker, who led a delegation to the Government House, Alhaji Umar; the Commissioner in charge of the state Police Command and the Director of State Security Service were prevented from seeing the governor by Suntai’s family members and influential associates on Tuesday.
 

 
This surely looks like a movie script LOL, all we can do is grab a popcorn and watch this embarrassing and illogical cling to power unfold