Gov Suntai speaks briefly on videotape oTape played on Taraba television o Cabinet dissolved, lawmakers meet gov

The Taraba State Governor, Mr. Danbaba Suntai,
finally addressed the people on Wednesday , exactly
four days after his return from a 10-month medical
sojourn abroad.
The brief address was however not live but through a
video shown on the state-owned television station in
Jalingo.
His failure to do so earlier and appear before the
state House Assembly to formally intimate its
members of his desire to resume work had created
suspicions that he was incapable of continuing to
function as the state governor.
Before the video was brodcast, he met with the
lawmakers and inaugurated the newly appointed
Secretary to the State Government, Timothy Kataps,
as well as the Chief of Staff, Mallam Aminu Jika.
The governor, who is recuperating from injuries he
sustained last October when a small aircraft he flew
crashed, had earlier dissolved the state Executive
Council, leaving only his special assistants.
In the address, Suntai commended the people of the
state for their prayers and for standing by him in his
moment of trial.
"I thank the people of Taraba State for standing by
me and my family.I also thank the commissioners for
holding the fort while I was away. Also enjoin all of
you to continue to live in peace," he said.
Suntai, who wore a sky blue suit and a stripe
shirt, also congratulated the people on the 22nd
anniversary of the state which was on August 27.
He had while inaugurating the new SSG and the CoS
enjoined them to to work in the interest of the people.
The new SSG (Kataps), a former Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice, took over from Mr. Garvey
Yawe while Jika, who once served in the same
capacity in 2007, replaced Alhmed Yusuf.
Yawe and Yusuf were among the members of the
sacked state Executive Council. The others are all the
commissioners and 22 special advisers.
The Senior Special Assistant to the governor on
Media, Sylvanus Giwa, had at a news conference in
Jalingo, said that the appointments of Kataps and
Jika were aimed at strengthening the machinery of
government.
The governor also met on Wednesday evening with
members of the House of Assembly led by their
Speaker, Haruna Tsokwa.
The lawmakers had resolved at their sitting earlier on
Wednesday to meet with the governor to confirm his
true state of health before taking any position on his
letter stating his intention to resume office.
Journalists, who were asked to wait at the assembly
complex for the lawmakers to meet with the governor,
were stunned when they returned, held a brief closed-
door session, and said they would speak to the
press on Thursday(today).
Suntai's Chief Press Secretary, Hassan Mijinyawa,
said the meeting was "meaningful."
The Speaker had on Monday alleged that the House
leaders were prevented from seeing the governor.
Our correspondents learnt that the news of the sack of
the executive council members had worsened the
political logjam in the state as Tsokwa said the
governor had no right to do so.
Tsokwa had added that the assembly recognised
the Acting Governor, Garba Umar, as the man in
charge of the affairs of the state.
Also, Umar insisted that he remained the acting
governor until there was a contrary directive from the
assembly.
The acting governor, through his Chief Press
Secretary, Kefas Sule, said the sacked executive
council was worried that some individuals were bent
on fomenting trouble in the state. He therefore urged
the people to continue with their normal activities.
"We shall definitely resolve this crisis. It is only one
government here - the Suntai administration," he
explained, adding that he would address the people of
the state on the development.
Umar said since he was empowered in acting
capacity, the lawmakers had the right to ask him to
revert to his former position as deputy governor or
still continue in acting capacity.
"I am waiting to hear from them. As I speak to you,
if the assembly tells me to revert to the position of
deputy, I will comply," he said.
It was gathered that some of the sacked
commissioners and aides accused Suntai's wife,
Hauwa, of spearheading the dissolution of the
cabinet.
Our correspondents also learnt that a faction in the
state assembly loyal to Umar insisted on Wednesday
that Suntai must appear before them to personally
tender the letter he wrote intimating the assembly of
his desire to resume duty.
A source close to the faction told The PUNCH that
the assembly would have no alternative but to initiate
impeachment moves against Suntai and save the
state from avoidable bloodshed. It was further
gathered that some of the legislators close to the
acting governor had started collecting signatures
preparatory to the governor's impeachment.
The source, who did not want his name in print, said
the state could not afford any crisis at this point,
more so when such could be avoided.
"The pro-Umar lawmakers are collating signatures
to impeach the governor because we cannot afford
this type of avoidable crisis," he said.
Suntai's letter seeking to resume duty had divided
the political class as the Speaker of the state
assembly had insisted that the governor needed to
address the lawmakers or allow principal officers of
the assembly to have an interaction with him.
But the Majority Leader, Mr. Joseph Albasu , asked
the governor to start work with immediate effect.His
position was shared by the attorney-general, who
said that Suntai needed not appear before the
lawmakers before resuming work.