History is cherished for its rich lesson to humanity but certainly not with Nigerians. Even though history is taught at all levels of disciplines, yet it lacks any lesson for the future, otherwise where will the unwholesome power tussle in Taraba State be located within historical perspective of Nigeria power chess board?
To my mind, the ugly game is uncalled for, if key actors are aquatinted with good knowledge of history. There is no distinction between the Yaradua saga with the unfolding developments in Jalingo except may be the mental conditions of the duo, memory was not in question for Yaradua, but Governor Suntai suffers memory crisis, which is even worst off. The Yaradua power drama actually threatened the foundations of our democratic stability. Thank God for ingenuous manipulation of "doctrine of necessity"by the National Assembly, though not within the contemplation of 1999 Constitution as Amended. In law any gesture outside the spirit of Constitutionalism is rape on the Constitution, therefore, the coronation of Acting President in 2010 by the National Assembly was a revolution per excellent.
Be that as it may be, the ghost of negative history still hunts us despite the Constitutional amendment of the provisions which addressed the question of non transmission of executive power by either the President or Governor. In 2009, President Yaradua suddenly collapsed at his duty post in Aso Rock, he was flown to Saudi Arabia for treatment. He spent over three months without tramission of intention to be away for either holiday or incapacity to discharge the functions of his office.The country navigated ominous political storm without proper leadership. Consequently, the Save Nigeria Group, (SNC) a coalition of concerned Citizens emerged, championed and organized protests against the power cult milking the situation at the expense of the nation. This power group shielded the late President from public glare including the then Vice President from even assessing his boss. They also concealed credible information about the President's health status. It was the activities of the self-seeking group that evolved the concept "power cabal". To re-enforced power grip, Yaradua was ferried back from Saudi Hospital under the cover of dark, eventually, he died in Office. The rest is not yet history any way for Taraba State.
On the 25th October, 2012, Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai crashed close to Yola in self-piloted personal aircraft. Initial reports indicated he might have been dead but latter confirmed to be prolonged coma. He was evacuated to National Hospital Abuja, later Germany and finally to a Rehabilitation Hospital in the United States of America. There is medical indications that Suntai suffered serious brain damage as a result. Danbaba Suntai was away from his duty post as Governor of Taraba State for over ten months. After twenty one days of his absence, the State Assembly invoked Section 190(1) where the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar was sworn in as Acing Governor. It will be recalled that Danbaba impeached his elected Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi about nine days before his plane crashed.
In pursue of 2015 power scheme calculated at stoping the Acting Governor from taking over as Governor due to Suntai's protracted ailment, a power cult led by his wife backed up by members of his kitchen cabinet re-enacted the Yaradua power drama but with a more crude desire to subvert the sanctity of the Constitution. Without fear of contradictions, this power cult manipulates religious sentiments instead of the rule of law or Constitution. Imagine, the dramatist personae involved in evacuating Governor Danbaba at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja on return to Nigeria. Jerry Gana, a professor of geography and John Dara, a middlebelt leader made press statements confirming the health status of Governor Suntai, attesting to the mental capacity of Suntai to govern, yet, none of them is a medical expert. What an irony? if Danbaba was normal as claimed why was he evacuated from the aircraft instead of disembarking normally? In any case, What business has Jerry Gana and John Dara, who hails from Niger and Kwara states respectively in the internal affairs of Taraba State if not for dirty religious schemings? They were front liners in mobilizing support for the sanctity of the Constitution during Yaradua's saga but here they are conspiring with a power cult to subvert the constitution, why?
It has been argued that they were at the Airport in their capacities as (PDP) Party leaders, granted but why was the Acting Governor and the late Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly not informed about the arrival of Governor Suntai? Are they not government officials or stakeholders in their own rights? Or can you cry more than the bereaved? I think Professor Jerry Gana and co-travelers have overstreched their limits and cannot be more catholic than the Pope.
The situation took a dangerous dimension when Suntai purportedly tramission of letter of intention to resume office to the State Assembly, The State Assembly with a majority of 16 members led by the Speaker backed the Acting Governor to continue in office while 8 members led by the Majority leader contended that Danbaba should resumed office without any debate. Then came the purported dissolution of the State Executive Council accompanied by a controversial swearing-in video of Governor Suntai's new officials. The events happened with GSM speech thereby beating human logic. From every indications the battle line is drawn between the State Assembly supporting the Acting Governor against the manipulated ailing Governor.
According to Sahara Reporters of 26th August 2013, " We have learnt that the main personnel behind the unfolding drama include retired general Theophilus Danjuma; Damian Dodo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who will provide the legal firepower for the maintenance of political power in the hands of a man who is clearly incapacitated; and Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, who will be the main political operative. They are being joined by some government officials led by the Secretary to the Taraba State Government, who will likely be used to form a parallel power structure in the state to keep Mr. Suntai in power. A junior Minister in President Goodluck Jonathan's administration, Darius Dickson Ishaku, along with Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, are the other actors in the political power heist in Taraba which offers moment-to-moment reminders of the fading days of President Umaru Yar’Adua".
But where do we place God, may I asked?
In the eyes of the law, the Acting Governor remains in charge of the affairs of the state because the import of Section 190(2) in the amended Constitution is to safeguard against vacuum and not to create anarchy. The proviso contemplates a physically competent Governor who on arrival would be able to discharge state functions and not a stage managed chief executive that will govern by proxy.
The statement issued by the State Assembly members after meeting ailing Governor Suntai suggesting unfitness to continue in office is not within their competent to confirm medical fitness but the legislature is saddled with the powers to maintain law and good governance in the state which had been exercised by refusing to give effect to the controversial letter transmitted to the House. The legislature to me, was right in upholding the Acting Governor's position as having not changed even with the arrival of Danbaba Suntai. If transmission of letter of intention means resumption of office, then he should address the State Assembly as demanded by members. Since Governor Suntai has approached the courts to seek interpretation, then his foot soldiers should refrain from acts capable of plunging the state into anarchy.
There was an attempt to remove the Speaker of the State Assembly which failed, thereafter, Hon. Haruna Tsokwa was attacked by unknown gun men on his way from Abuja, he also survived it, but fews days ago he surrendered to the cold hands of death in Federal Medical Centre Jalingo after brief illness. May His soul find favour with paradise, amen. With the exit of Hon. Haruna Tsokwa, the chemistry of Taraba State politics has altered, uncertainty looms over the political landscape, because "any slave that goes to a requiem of a fellow slave and sees that the grave was dug shallow show know that his will be the same" Therefore, the Acting Governor must concentrate more on reconciling the different interests in the state and refrain from acts capable of giving wrong signals about his future ambition. Meanwhile, Governor Suntai should be given adequate medical attention to facilitate speedy recuperation. I hereby appeal to all political war lords to demobilize all garrisons in the overall interest of peace and harmony. We cannot afford another round of politically motivated crisis inflamed by religious passion in Taraba State. This is macabre dance of another power cabal.
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