By MICHAEL OLANREWAJU, Osogbo
A civil society group based in Osun State has condemned the political developments in Taraba State.
Addressing a press conference yesterday at the state office of Committee for Democracy and the Right of the People (CDRP) in Osogbo, the Acting National Co-ordinator of the group, Comrade Saka Waheed, described the political development in Taraba State as a chicanery contrary to the spirit and letters of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to him, “The trend of events in Taraba State in past few months have been of tremendous concern to all progressive elements in Taraba in particular and Nigeria as a whole. Since the unfortunate plane crash involving the governor of the state, Suntai Danbaba, the executive administration of the state has been a toy in the hands of a cabal who believes that the fate of the state and its residents must be theirs in fee simple to determine as they wish.”
He added that “the above attitude is completely at variance with the letters and spirit of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the interests of the electorate, but these individuals involved are completely unperturbed. While Section 186 of the Constitution creates the office of the Deputy Governor and provides in Section 189 for procedure for declaring a Governor or Deputy Governor permanently incapacitated, leaderships of the state and the Federation have pretended as if the provisions of Section 189 of the Constitution did not exist and as if the health condition of Governor Suntai Danbaba and his inability to speak with his people or House of Assembly did not fit into such as to make such a declaration in line with Section 189 of the Constitution.”
Waheed also said that, “it is incontrovertible that Governor Suntai Danbaba is not fit to discharge the functions of his office since October 25, 2012 when his plane crashed in Adamawa. While it was very clear that he suffered brain damage in the accident and could not recognise anybody, the cabal in Taraba State and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seem hell bent on refusing to allow the Deputy Governor perform the functions of the Governor and would rather run the government of Taraba aground in a manner reminiscent of the latter days of President Umaru Yar’Adua in office.
‘’While we all pray for quick recovery of Governor Suntai and his imminent return to office, it is certain that we must all deplore a situation where an elected Deputy Governor is prevented from performing his lawful functions under the Constitution simply because a group of people feel that their personal and egotistic interests are better preserved by pretending that an ailing governor is still in full charge of affairs. These unelected individuals, massaging the ego of the wife of the Governor, have succeeded in running the state of Taraba for so long and close to one year now in the shadow of the first lady. Such is never allowed in a civilised clime and it must be abhorred in this country,” the group said.
On the expected arrival of the recuperating Governor, he said, “We also understand that the ailing Governor is being brought back home today and this deceptive announcement has been on air for some time. In a blatant deceit that is synonymous with the Governor’s forum 2013 election, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau, after a visit to Governor Danbaba in January, informed the nation of a healing process that would see the Governor resume office ‘very soon’. It is certain that the Governor does not have the mental and physical ability to continue functioning as Governor. The federal government and PDP have reduced such issue of national importance as this to another family affair, at the expense of political stability, accountable governance and transparency. Why do these people enjoy punishing the innocent man who is completely in a vegetative state? What is the interest of Governor Jonah Jang in this whole political deceit? They want to continue governing Taraba State by proxy! This is alarming!
“We call on all progressive elements across the country to demand the immediate public disclosure of the state of health of Suntai Danbaba. We demand that the Governor be allowed to address a press conference to assure the residents of Taraba State who elected him that he is fit to continue in the discharge of their affairs.
“The Federal government and PDP leadership is urged to concentrate on providing quality leadership and social development for Nigerians and desist from distracting the populace with avoidable political upheavals that has become synonymous with this government each time citizens protests government’s misadministration or workers demand their fundamental entitlement.”
He concluded that, “We reject any form of government by proxy! We reject a government of the cabal serving only personal interests!”
A civil society group based in Osun State has condemned the political developments in Taraba State.
Addressing a press conference yesterday at the state office of Committee for Democracy and the Right of the People (CDRP) in Osogbo, the Acting National Co-ordinator of the group, Comrade Saka Waheed, described the political development in Taraba State as a chicanery contrary to the spirit and letters of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to him, “The trend of events in Taraba State in past few months have been of tremendous concern to all progressive elements in Taraba in particular and Nigeria as a whole. Since the unfortunate plane crash involving the governor of the state, Suntai Danbaba, the executive administration of the state has been a toy in the hands of a cabal who believes that the fate of the state and its residents must be theirs in fee simple to determine as they wish.”
He added that “the above attitude is completely at variance with the letters and spirit of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the interests of the electorate, but these individuals involved are completely unperturbed. While Section 186 of the Constitution creates the office of the Deputy Governor and provides in Section 189 for procedure for declaring a Governor or Deputy Governor permanently incapacitated, leaderships of the state and the Federation have pretended as if the provisions of Section 189 of the Constitution did not exist and as if the health condition of Governor Suntai Danbaba and his inability to speak with his people or House of Assembly did not fit into such as to make such a declaration in line with Section 189 of the Constitution.”
Waheed also said that, “it is incontrovertible that Governor Suntai Danbaba is not fit to discharge the functions of his office since October 25, 2012 when his plane crashed in Adamawa. While it was very clear that he suffered brain damage in the accident and could not recognise anybody, the cabal in Taraba State and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seem hell bent on refusing to allow the Deputy Governor perform the functions of the Governor and would rather run the government of Taraba aground in a manner reminiscent of the latter days of President Umaru Yar’Adua in office.
‘’While we all pray for quick recovery of Governor Suntai and his imminent return to office, it is certain that we must all deplore a situation where an elected Deputy Governor is prevented from performing his lawful functions under the Constitution simply because a group of people feel that their personal and egotistic interests are better preserved by pretending that an ailing governor is still in full charge of affairs. These unelected individuals, massaging the ego of the wife of the Governor, have succeeded in running the state of Taraba for so long and close to one year now in the shadow of the first lady. Such is never allowed in a civilised clime and it must be abhorred in this country,” the group said.
On the expected arrival of the recuperating Governor, he said, “We also understand that the ailing Governor is being brought back home today and this deceptive announcement has been on air for some time. In a blatant deceit that is synonymous with the Governor’s forum 2013 election, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau, after a visit to Governor Danbaba in January, informed the nation of a healing process that would see the Governor resume office ‘very soon’. It is certain that the Governor does not have the mental and physical ability to continue functioning as Governor. The federal government and PDP have reduced such issue of national importance as this to another family affair, at the expense of political stability, accountable governance and transparency. Why do these people enjoy punishing the innocent man who is completely in a vegetative state? What is the interest of Governor Jonah Jang in this whole political deceit? They want to continue governing Taraba State by proxy! This is alarming!
“We call on all progressive elements across the country to demand the immediate public disclosure of the state of health of Suntai Danbaba. We demand that the Governor be allowed to address a press conference to assure the residents of Taraba State who elected him that he is fit to continue in the discharge of their affairs.
“The Federal government and PDP leadership is urged to concentrate on providing quality leadership and social development for Nigerians and desist from distracting the populace with avoidable political upheavals that has become synonymous with this government each time citizens protests government’s misadministration or workers demand their fundamental entitlement.”
He concluded that, “We reject any form of government by proxy! We reject a government of the cabal serving only personal interests!”
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