In what appears to be a prelude towards the declaration of Governor Danbaba Suntai invalid, the Peoples Democratic Party yesterday inaugurated a seven-man panel to look into the constitutional implications of his long absence.
Suntai has been receiving treatment abroad since last year, after the plane he piloted crash landed at Yola, Adamawa State.
His deputy has been acting on his behalf and there have been calls from several quarters for the Taraba State House of the Assembly to invoke the relevant sections of the constitution and declare him incapable of continuing in office on health grounds to enable his deputy formally assume office as substantive governor.
Inaugurating the 7-member panel headed by Senator Hope Uzodinma, the PDP chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, said the party is worried about the long absence of the governor and the political tension it has generated in the state.
According to Tukur, “The National Working Committee, NWC, sees it as its responsibility to intervene in the political condition generated by this incident” and subsequently “decided to set up a 7-man committee to look into the situation of the state and report within two weeks.
The terms of reference of the committee which include: “to find out and report the extent of the political harmony or otherwise among the key stakeholders within the ruling PDP family in Taraba State; to interact and establish the most effective approach, to reduce to the minimum, the fears of all the contending interest in Tarana State; to fast track the process of constitutional adherence as it affects the current status of the office of the governor of Taraba State and to ensure that in all practical implication PDP Taraba emerges stronger and more united in responding to all the partisan challenges arising thereafter in the State.”
Other members of the committee include: the political adviser to the President, Ahmed Gulak; Shittu Mohammed, Bala Buhari, Prof. Richard King, Mrs Bolajoko Doherty and Senator Abubakar Gada who is to serve as secretary.
