Jubilation In Taraba As Supreme Court Sacks Garba, Reinstates Ibrahim As Ag. Gov There was spontaneous jubilation in Jalingo, the Taraba State Capital, yesterday when news filtered into town that the Supreme Court had sacked the state acting governor, Garba Umar and ordered the reinstatement of Abubakar Danladi, who was impeached by the State House of Assembly in 2012. Thousands of jubilant crowd took to the streets and drinking spots Friday night to celebrate the new acting governor’s victory. Many supporters of the new acting governor were also seen carrying posters bearing the portrait of the new acting governor Danladi Abubakar and that of Governor Danbaba Suntai. LEADERSHIP Weekend further observed that there was palpable gloominess and sadness amongst supporters of Alhaji Garba Umar as the news filtered into Jalingo town. Some were seen gathered in clusters discussing the development. The Supreme Court yesterday declared as null and void, the impeachment of Taraba State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi. The court ordered that he should be reinstated as the deputy governor immediately. The apex court in a judgment delivered by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, held that the deputy governor was denied fair hearing. Other justices in the panel are Samuel Onnoghen, Bode Rhodes-Vivour, Kumayi Aka’ahs, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and John Okoro. Justice Nguta held that, “in effect, at all material times, the appellant, Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi remained and still remains the deputy governor of Taraba State and he is to resume his interrupted duties of his office forthwith.” The court further held that right from the composition of the seven-man panel, the appellant was denied fair hearing. “My noble Lords, the impact of what happened in the panel on the country’s impeachment jurisprudence is too alarming to contemplate. Here is a panel that had three whole months to investigate the serious allegations of gross misconduct against the appellant, a deputy governor of the state. For no apparent reasons for the indecent haste, the panel completed its sitting and prepared and submitted its report to the Taraba State House of Assembly between September 28, 2012 and October 3, 2012, a period of six days inclusive of the first and last dates. “From the undisputed facts of this case, one has the inevitable but disturbing impression that the panel composed of the respondents was a mere sham and that the removal of the appellant from office was a done deal as it were. In my view, the respondents in their purported investigation of the allegation made against the appellant merely played out a script previously prepared and handed over to the panel. The most disturbing aspect of the kangaroo panel is that it was headed by a man described in the processes before this court as a barrister- one barrister Nasiru Audu Dangiri. The third member of the panel was also described as a barrister- one barrister R.J. Ikitausai. “If these two men are actually members of the noble profession to which your Lordships and my humble self, by the grace of God have the honour to belong and not people who for self-aggrandisement adopted the nomenclature “barrister”, the harm they have deliberately perpetrated in this matter is so serious that the attention of the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar ought to be drawn to it. Impeachment of elected politicians is a very serious matter and should not be conducted as a matter of course. The purpose is to step aside the will of the electorate as expressed at the polls. It has implications for the impeached as well as the electorate who bestowed the mandate on him. “Whether it takes one day or the three months prescribed by law, the rules of due process must be strictly followed. If the matter is left at the whims and caprices of politicians and their panels, a state or even the entire country could be reduced to a status of banana republic,” Justice Ngwuta said. Meanwhile, there are currently insinuations in some quarters that Alhaji Abubakar Danladi would come back as a deputy governor to whosoever will emerge as the substantive candidate of the PDP come 2015. Those who are conversant with the political scenario in the state have confirmed that with the present change in government, the disunity amongst the numerous ethnic groups from the southern zone which has been robbing the zone of producing the governor of the state over the years would be put to rest. AGF directs compliance with court judgement The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has directed the Acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar to immediately hand over power to Mr. Sani Dalandi, whose impeachment by the State House of Assembly was nullified by the Supreme Court yesterday. In a short statement signed by the Solicitor General, Abdullahi Yola yesterday after the judgement, the AGF said the order was necessary to prevent a vacuum in the governance of the state. “The Honourable Attorney-General calls on the Inspector-General of Police to take necessary steps towards the provision of adequate security in the state within this transition period by the police force in order to prevent any breach of the peace and ensure the sustenance of law and order,” the statement read. Reinstated deputy governor nullifies all appointments Meanwhile, in a swift move at consolidating his victory at the Supreme Court, the reinstated deputy governor yesterday nullified all appointments made by the ousted acting governor, Garba Umar. In an address shortly after assumption of duty, Danladi thanked the Supreme Court for its landmark judgement which he said has re-echoed the fact that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man. He directed all those appointed by Umar to vacate office within 24 hours and handover all government property in their possession, adding that all appointments made from November 14, 2014 are illegal, null and void. Danladi said as deputy governor of Taraba State, he would remain loyal to Governor Danbaba Suntai not only in words, but in action throughout his time in office. According to him, he had reported to Governor Suntai to inform him he had assumed duty as the deputy governor of the state. He expressed disappointment over the incessant killings witnessed in the state in recent times and promised that the present administration would ensure peace is restored to all parts of the state and called on traditional and religious leaders in the state to ensure peaceful co-existence in their domains. Reacting to the judgement, Spokesman to Alhaji Garba Umar, Mr Aaron Artimas said his boss had taken the Supreme Court judgement in good faith and would not be bitter over the development, adding that government is a continuum. “We are hoping that this ruling will serve the people of the state well, we hope it will bring peace, development and progress to the state. There is nothing to be bitter about since the person that is coming in is an indigenes of Taraba and it is the same PDP family. He has been deputy governor and he is qualified to rule the state,” he said. Artimas said the development would not in any way deter Umar from pursuing his political aspiration in the state, adding that even if his boss is out of power; his political supporters would be there to rally round him. On his part, the former commissioner for information, culture and tourism in the state, Mr. Emmanuel Bello told LEADERSHIP Weekend that the court judgement was a welcome development. He stressed that it is a restoration of order in the state and the vindication of those who continue to remain loyal to governor Suntai. “With the Supreme Court verdict, the common men in the state have gotten their hope back,” he said. Those who accompanied the reinstated deputy governor to Jalingo include Architect Darius Ishaku (a PDP gubernatorial aspirant), House of Reps Chief Whip, Isiaka Bawa, former commissioner for Water Resources, Rebo Usman and former Commissioner for Justice, Timothy Gibon Kataps, amongst others. Other personalities who were at the airport to receive Danladi include former governor Jolly Nyame, Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, deputy speaker of Taraba House of Assembly, Tanko Maikarfi, the G-8 lawmakers loyal to governor Suntai, aides and political associates of Governors Suntai and Danladi.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 08:46:51 +0000