Tension in Taraba State as Suntai purportedly writes to Assembly to resume office.

Governor Suntai has been receiving treatment overseas for the past 10 months following brain injuries that he sustained after an air mishap in October last year. He returned back to Nigeria amid reports that he appeared bewildered and disoriented as he arrived, needing assistance to walk down the steps of the aircraft that brought him back and was immediately bundled into a waiting car, away from the crowd, without speaking to them. 

And now another controversy is looming over a letter purportedly written by Suntai to the Taraba State House of Assembly by Governor Danbaba Suntai yesterday indicating he is ready to resume office, which Femi Falana (SAN) is contesting and asking the Inspector General of Police to investigate.

Heavy tension is building up in Taraba State, which could degenerate into a religious crisis between Christians and Muslims as the principal actors are already playing the religion card.

The confusion in the state reached new heights on Wednesday as the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Haruna Tsokwa and the Majority Leader, Mr. Joseph Albasu, disagreed on who is now in-charge of the affairs of the state as governor.

The speaker insisted that Deputy Governor Garba Umar remains the governor:
And that would continue until the Assembly deliberated on the letter by the recuperating Governor Danbaba Suntai seeking to resume duty.

But the majority leader, Joseph Albasu, is claiming 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.

Joseph 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, arguing that it was against the spirit of the constitution for the assembly to debate the letter by Suntai.

But the Speaker faulted Joseph Albasu, saying Governor Suntai must appear before the Assembly or receive  its principal officers in his office in the Government House, Jalingo.

“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” and ascertain that he is indeed fit.