Suntai surrenders to deputy at last

PDP/presidential panel brokers peace deal

Ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State yesterday surrendered to his deputy, Alhaji Garba Umar, to continue to hold forte pending when he would be medically fit to return to work.The governor was involved in air mishap last year. The injury from the accident took him to Germany and the United States for medical attention. Read more

He returned to the country, still ailing, on August 25.

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Committee set up to resolve the crisis brought by his return and determination to resume work, was headed by Senator Hope Uzodinma, who told reporters yesterday that Governor Suntai has allowed Alhaji Umar to continue to act for him as governor, until he is well enough to perform his functions.

Senator Uzodinma said Suntai has, however, said that there were some actions he would take with due consultation with him, and not to act arbitrarily. The stakeholders, he said,have unanimously agreed that Alhaji Umar should continue to act without any dissident voice, because they (stakeholders) were desirous of moving the state forward.

According to him,there was no crisis in Taraba, expressing the hope that there would not be, and that the committee  had met with the ailing governor, whom, he said was recuperating and that all and sundry should continue to pray for him to recover speedily.

Senator Uzodinma urged the media to continue to help democracy to flourish and not to be used to fan the embers of divisiveness in the polity. He said the press has a significant role to play in moving the nation forward.

The stakeholders comprised of the presidential committee, the National Assembly members from the state, legislators from the House of Assembly, elders and opinion leaders as well as PDP stalwarts from the state and national levels.

The Uzodinma committee arrived in Jalingo, the state capital and swung into action. On arrival at the airport around 12.46pm, he told journalists that they were in Jalingo to interact with their fellow PDP members.

Paying a courtesy call on Suntai, the members said they were in the state to ascertain the governor’s health and pray for his speedy recovery.

Although journalists were not officially allowed to go in along with the committee members, the few that had access to the governor, said that contrary to the assumption that Suntai had been speechless, confirmed that he actually expressed happiness for their visit and prayer.

The sources also confirmed that the ailing governor was able to identify persons, a development that was also contrary to the belief that he was not aware of his environment.

At the venue of the meeting held in the Government House were the Assembly leaders, Taraba lawmakers in the National Assembly, former commissioners, elders of the party and opinion leaders, Senator Uzodinma had appealed to the stakeholders to sheathe their  swords and proffer solution to the crisis at hand.

From DAVID MOLOMO, Yola 

Culled from THe Sun newspaper