SPECIAL REPORT: Taraba: PDP works to remove Suntai out of office Posted by: legis admin Posted date: June 24, 2013 | 11:17 am In: EXCLUSIVE LEGISREPORTS NG – The national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) introduced a fresh dimension into the unending conundrum of power play in Taraba State when it recently empanelled a committee to investigate the continued absence of the governor of the state and advise it on what to do. It will be recalled that since the October 25th, 2012 plane crash that led to the evacuation of Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba state abroad for medical attention, the power mix in Taraba state has become a moving wax drawing several interests into contention for the top job of the state. Apart from the eruption of different factions in the party, there has been a building quest to confirm the Acting Governor, Mr. Garba Umar as the substantive governor by some powerful individuals. Even the state House of Assembly that used to be one and indivisible house was not spared the crisis as it got enmeshed in crises which eventually led to the impeachment of the entire principal officers of the House whom many described as core loyalists to the ailing governor. Apparently concerned by these developments, the national headquarters of the ruling party under the chairmanship of Mr. Bamanga Tukur moved to intervene when it inaugurated a fact finding committee on the governor’s long absence. The committee is chaired by Senator Hope Uzodinma, and has Mr. Ahmed Gulak, Alhaji Shittu Muhammed, Alhaji Bala Buhari, Professor Richard King, Mrs. Bolajoko Doherty and Senator Abubakar U. Gada as members. . One of the major assignments of the committee was to investigate the long absence from office of Governor Suntai and to make appropriate recommendation to the national headquarters of the party on the next line of action to be taken. But hardly had the committee settle down to work when some party members rushed to a High Court to seek for the constitutional interpretation of the action of the National Secretariat of the party. Led by Mr. Garba Julde and HoHon. Sale Audu Habu, both of whom are card carrying members of the PDP, the group questioned the action of Tukur and prayed for an order of interim injunction against the Tukur and the Uzodinma-led committee in respect of the office of the Governor of Taraba state. The court action was received with mixed feelings. Pro-Suntai politicians hailed the move even as those seeking the confirmation of the acting governor flayed it. In his ruling, Justice Nuhu S. Adi, ordered Uzodinma and his team to be restrained from acting on the terms of reference given to them by the national headquarters of the PDP which was listed as the first Defendents/Respondents in the case. The judge cautioned the committee not to “submit any report to the first Defendents/Respondents in respect of anything pertaining to the office of the Governor of Taraba state as it relates to the temporary absence from office of the substantive governor of Taraba state or in relation to performance of the functions of the office of the governor Taraba state by the deputy governor, now acting governor of the state pending the hearing determination of the motion on noticed.” Justice Adi went ahead to also caution the first Defendents/Respondents to restrain themselves from “receiving and/or implementing any report submitted to her by the 2nd-8th Defendents/Respondent or any other committee instituted by the first Defendant/Respondent in so far as any such report touches on or relates to the absence from office of the governor of Taraba state and performance of the functions of in that office.” Wondering why the PDP should seek to side-step the constitution of the country, lead counsel to the plaintiffs Barrister E. A Ibrahim Effiong said the 1999 constitution as amended “was very clear on the issue.” Effiong who is also the state branch chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) described the ruling as a “sound ruling” adding that the ruling has ” once again showed that the judiciary’s integrity still remain intact.” Some top PDP members who spoke on the ruling also lauded the bold decision of the judge. Many of them who craved to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals faulted the decision of the party stating that “we expected our party leaders at the national level to join the good people of Taraba in praying for the quick recovery of our governor.” A party kingpin further observed that “their plans to pave the way for the confirmation of the acting governor as a substantive governor even when the governor is still alive and has not been declared incapacitated by the cabinet and his medical doctors, has failed.” But some other party faithful who also would not want their names in print, believed that the court ruling does not prevent the committee from going ahead with its “assigned responsibility from our national secretariat.” “After all this is not the first time that courts in this country are restraining our party from carrying out some functions” adding that the committee was for the good of the people of the state and the party. “You and I know that PDP in Taraba state is no longer the PDP we used to know. And going by the terms of reference given to the committee, you also know that it was not designed to witch hunt any person or group.” Even though he Acting Governor whose posters for 2015 are present adorning the streets of Jalingo, recently admonished those behind the pasting of the posters to desist from such acts, keen watchers of political development in the state, believed that he is “more desperate to ascend the number one position than those pressurizing him.” As members of the party continue to view the ruling from different angles, opposition parties on their part are praying fervently for the crisis to consume the ruling party in order to enhance their performances in the forthcoming general elections slated for 2015.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Jul 2013 21:04:51 +0000
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