Tag: Taba State Governor Danbaba Suntai

Lawyer Insists Suntai Not Capable To Carry Out Duties

A legal practitioner Abbas Ajiya has said that the governor of Taraba state, Danbaba Suntai is still not capable of discharging the  functions of the office of the governor.

Speaking on Channels Television breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Mr. Ajiya explained that the governor is unable to talk properly and is not aware of his immediate environment, adding that the governor is “recuperating”

Mr. Ajiya stated that the medical record of the governor of the state should be checked to know if he is fit to perform his duties as the governor of the state “based on what is physically seen, the suspicion is that the governor is not allright”.

He suggested that a medical panel should be constituted to examine the governor and his medical record; and added that Mr.Suntai has requested his deputy to carry out the research but to no avail.

Mr. Ajiya mentioned that some citizens of the state have approached the deputy governor to hold a meeting to declare the governor incapacitated and supported by members of the Taraba state Executive Council.

A letter will be transmitted to the speaker of the House of Assembly, to enable the  setting up a medical panel that will do a thorough investigation of the true situation of the governor.

Mr. Ajiya stated that some of them went to the Federal High Court Abuja on the matter and was later transferred  to the Taraba division of the Federal High Court, adding that the matter is still pending.

Mark, others to attend Onaiyekan’s consecration, visit Suntai

President Goodluck  Jonathan is sending an official delegation headed by the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark to represent the Federal Government at the formal consecration of Archbishop John Onaiyekan as a Cardinal of the Catholic Church by Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican tomorrow.

This was confirmed by a statement signed by the special adviser to the president on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.

Other members of the delegation are the Chief of Staff to the President, Mike Oghiadomhe, the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, the Minister of State (FCT), Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide and the Chaplain of the Presidential Villa Chapel, Venerable Obioma Onwuzurumba.

It will be recalled that Archbishop Onaiyekan’s elevation to the College of Cardinals was announced by the Vatican on October 24, this year.

President Jonathan has also mandated members of the delegation to stop over in Hanover, Germany on their way back to visit Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State who is receiving treatment there for injuries sustained in a recent plane crash.

The delegation which is scheduled to leave Abuja today is due back on Sunday.

FG may fly Suntai abroad for treatment

President Goodluck Jonathan says the federal government has put arrangements in place to fly the governor of Taraba state Alhaji Danbaba Suntai abroad for treatment if it becomes necessary.

Doctor Jonathan was speaking to Muslim faithful who came to pay him the Sallah homage in the Presidential Villa. He said that the governor is stable and that he will first be brought to the National Hospital in Abuja for treatment before any other action will be taken.

The Governor escaped death on Thursday after a plane he was flying crashed in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

The governor, his aide-de-camp and chief security officer, who were also in the plane that took off from Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, and three others, were seriously injured.

Mr Suntai, who graduated as a pilot from the Aviation College in Zaria last year, was piloting the crashed plane. This would be the second time he is surviving a plane crash

The plane, a Cessna 208, 5N-BMJ, owned by the state government, crashed at about 7.45 pm, near the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Depot, on the outskirts of Yola.

The governor, who was brought in unconscious, was first taken to Yola Specialist Hospital for treatment, but was later, moved to the better-equipped Federal Medical Centre, Yola.

A statement from the Ministry of Aviation said the aircraft had six persons, including the crew on board when it crashed.

It said the aircraft departed Jalingo for Yola and reported contact with the Yola control tower, but shortly before it landed, the pilot lost contact with the control tower, while efforts to radio the aircraft failed.