Taraba: SUNTAI TO RETURN TO HOSPITAL AFTER GUBER PRIMARIES Published on Monday, 15 September 2014 05:02 Written by Itodo Daniel Sule (Jalingo), Felix Onigbinde & Simon Echewofun Sunday (Abuja) .His return stage-managed by a cabal – Ag gov’s aide Taraba State Governor Danbaba Suntai who returned from a foreign medical trip Saturday night will be around only long enough to see through the PDP governorship primaries before returning abroad for further medication, Daily Trust learnt yesterday. Suntai arrived at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja around 10.30pm aboard a chartered flight from London, following a 14-week absence to further treat injuries he sustained in a plane crash on October 25, 2012. His chief press secretary had said at the weekend that the governor would be in the country for six weeks before travelling back to London for further check-up. The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) may hold its governorship primaries within the six-week period, in line with the INEC election timetable which scheduled party primaries between October 2 and December 11. Taraba Acting Governor Garba Umar’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Aaron Artimas, said yesterday Suntai’s return was a “stage- managed attempt” by a “cabal” ahead of the PDP primaries coming up in October. “The whole thing is about the PDP primaries; they feel that if they don’t get the government machinery, they will not be able to install whoever they want to install. The PDP is looking and the international community is watching the development,” he told Daily Trust. Suntai’s press secretary Umar Mijinyawa could not be reached for comments on Artimas’s claims yesterday. The governor’s return came just days after the State Executive Council asked the State House of Assembly to set up a medical panel to determine his state of health. Artimas said Suntai must be certified fit by the House of Assembly as required by the constitution before he retakes power, adding that since the assembly is on recess, he would have to wait until it resumes. Drama as gov’s plane lands Suntai’s arrival in Abuja on Saturday night was full of drama, as his alighting from the plane was shielded from the cameras while the acting governor was not able to receive him even though he was at the airport. The governor was received by former Taraba Governor Jolly Nyame, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, Minister of State for Niger Delta Arch Darius Ishaku and former Secretary to Taraba State Government Emmanuel Njiwah, among others. Shortly after the plane transporting Suntai landed, while the acting governor and some Taraba lawmakers were waiting at the domestic terminal of the Abuja airport, it was announced that Suntai would be arriving in the international terminal. The acting governor was then seen rushing towards the international terminal, but before he could reach there an SUV had already driven to tarmac to ferry Suntai away from the plane. Photo-journalis ts were not allowed anywhere near the aircraft, and so they could not capture the moment Suntai alighted. From the Abuja airport, Suntai was driven in convoy to a guest house in the Asokoro area of Abuja. The acting governor’s convoy, which was trailing from far behind, headed into the city in a different direction. Journalists who pursued Suntai’s convoy had a long wait at the guest house before they were addressed by some aides who said the governor was improving significantly and would soon take over power. ‘Coming from Abuja’ Suntai spoke briefly in a low tone in front of television cameras. But he made a slip when he said: “I am just coming from Abuja.” His aides and wife, Hauwa, quickly intervened by telling journalists that the governor simply wanted to thank everyone for receiving him and that he would speak to the media in the next couple days. It is not clear when Suntai will be proceeding to Jalingo but some aides said this may happen during the week. Former SSG Njiwah told Daily Trust that Suntai’s return to Nigeria was for him to resume as governor as he is “very strong enough to start his work.” Njiwa said he could not tell whether the governor will still transmit any letter to the state assembly before assuming power. “All I know is that the governor is very healthy enough to start his work,” he added. Former Taraba Information Commissioner Emmanuel Bello said in a text message: “The second coming of Suntai should be a golden opportunity to move Taraba forward. It is time to restore decency, democracy and good governance. Taraba state must shed off its current image as the only state in Nigeria with two governors.” For his part, the Acting Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Kefas Sule, when contacted, said it is the interest of his boss to see to an amicable resolution of the political impasse. In the state capital Jalingo, there appeared to be anxiety within the political class as regarding what would be their fate should Suntai assume power in the coming days. A civil servant expressed concern that the state might be in for another round of political crisis with Suntai’s return. Suntai crashed in a plane he was piloting near Yola, on October 25, 2012 and was first taken to a hospital in the Adamawa State capital. A day after, he was moved to the National Hospital, Abuja, preparatory to his being flown to Germany for further medical treatment on October 27, 2012. Three weeks after Suntai’s departure for Germany, the Taraba State House of Assembly passed a resolution empowering Deputy Governor Garba Umar to become acting governor, in line with section 190 of the constitution. In March 2013, he was transferred to a hospital in the United States, where he remained until his first return to Nigeria on August 25 last year. A day after that, on August 26, 2013, a letter was transmitted to the State Assembly in which Suntai said he was back and was taking charge of state affairs. But the lawmakers rejected the letter on the grounds that it was forged. This led to a protracted political bickering between his loyalists and the acting governor. On June 3 this year, Suntai was flown out again for what his aides said was further medical check-up. Daily Trust Follow Us On Twitter @Taraba_In_Focu s
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 07:35:34 +0000
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