In a matter of hours the administration of acting governor Garba Umar a.k.a UTC would have been acting for two years and the first-ever to have been in such position in the state’s political history. His acting governorship was occasioned by the unfortunate air accident that involved his principal – Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai. STEPHEN OSU examines the two years journey, evaluating the challenges and the prospects of the state’s political future
The beginning
Alhaji Garba Umar became the deputy governor of Taraba state on the 7th day of October 2012 the very day Alhaji Sani Danladi Abubakar was impeached by the state house of assembly, for allegations of gross misconduct. In order not to create a vacuum in his government, Governor Danbaba Suntai forwarded the name of Garba for a replacement of the impeached deputy governor.
But before his name became public, several other names went round the rumor mill in Jalingo the Taraba state capital; but the Taraba state power man settled for Umar. His explanation was simple: that ‘Baba’, as he often referred to his deputy, would play a fatherly role in his government, his wealth of experience in the private sector would also be brought to bear on governance in the state.
The acting capacity
Three weeks after his appointment, precisely on the 25th day of October 2012, at about 7 : 00 pm and just 18days after his appointment, governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai crashed with a light weight aircraft which he piloted near Yola in Adamawa state, alongside three of his aids.
The development created a lot of anxiety within the political class in the north eastern state of Taraba; within the first fifteen days. The Taraba populace became anxious to know who was going to lead them, just as the new acting governor was still in the learning process of how government is being run. The administrative structure was allegedly in the hands of the then secretary to Taraba state government and a few other appointees of the ailing governor.
There was a lot of pressure and questions from all over the place as to whether or not the new deputy governor would be allowed to act; all the pressure was going the way of state house of assembly which has the deciding powers. The then deputy speaker, Peter Abel Diah told journalists at a news conference in his office that the constitution stipulates that twenty-one days are required for the process to be completed; so everybody should be calm and wait for the twenty one days. And on the 18th day the needful was done, the house passed a resolution directing Garba Umar to act as governor.
Dramatic events within the two years
There was a sharp divide within the political class in the state. One group was under the leadership of Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, referred to in Taraba as ‘The Cabal’, while the other group had the acting governor in charge. These two groups had one political target – to have a grip on the political power in the twenty-three-year-old state.
The sour relationship was first taken to the public domain by media practitioners in the state but both the acting governor and his media managers insisted that the relationship was cordial until 25th August, when the ailing governor was first brought back to Jalingo, the state capital. It became an open war between the acting governor on one side and the cabal on the other.
But before Suntais first return, the then speaker Haruna Gbana was caught in a cross fire –between himself, his deputy and the majority leader of the house – Charles maijankei. These actors, before the cold war, were virtually the people running the state. The former chairman of Taraba United, Mr. Silas Jafta confirmed this to Blueprint when he said he was sacked by the plot of the assembly men.
The cold war
Upon the arrival of the ailing governor, it was alleged that he transmitted a letter to the house of assembly, informing them that he was back and ready to take over the affairs of the state, but the state legislature – under the late speaker Haruna Tsokwa – insisted that the Suntai they saw could not sign any document. They insisted that the governor must address the house, a move the pro-Suntai group insisted was a violation of constitutional provisions and that the matter was before the Jalingo high court. A year after, Suntai also had to go back to court, to avoid being examined by the medical panel set up by the speaker Taraba state house of assembly.
Months after the power struggle, the ailing governor was returned to the United Kingdom for further treatment, the second return again was on the 25th day of august; this time he did not even arrive Jalingo, the scheming was done there in Abuja. The acting governor only raised alarm at a press conference in the state capital, that he was not allowed to see his boss weeks after his return to the country.
The state during the two ‘acting’ years
In his first interactive session with journalists as acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar promised to continue with the projects awarded by his boss, he also said he was not going to do anything outside the wish of his ailing boss, his projects, policies and programmes would be pursued until his return.
In keeping his promise, the acting governor stood his ground when Haruna Tsokwa died – that his successor must be his younger brother, the same way Suntai did in Kurmi during his time, when he insisted that Charles Ishaku must replace his late father Ishaku Audu – who was member representing Kurmi constituency of the state.
Projects at the Taraba state university are given the desired attention, the balance of contractual sum owed PW Nigeria for the construction of Jalibgo-Sunkani-Garba-Chede federal road, was cleared. The new contract for Bali,Gashaka and Gembu federal trunk B road initiated by Suntai is awarded and work has reached advanced stage of completion; the Takum general hospital contractor was also paid his complete contract sum; about eighteen thousand youths cutting across the one-hundred and sixty-eight wards in the sixteen local government areas are empowered.
To curtail the security challenges that have bedeviled the state, a total of ninety-three Hilux vans were procured and distributed to security operatives in the state to step up their patrols; the acting governor also completed the federal high court complex initiated by governor Suntai, along with that of Taraba state house of assembly commission.
There was the linking of Suntai village to national grid and Gbachama villages in Bali and Karim Lamido local government areas respectively; then one hundred housing units under construction in Jalingo for middle carder civil servants. There is also the continuation of the ongoing construction work on the college of Nursing Jalingo.
Divided opinions
In assessing his two years in office, public opinion is divided in the state shaply. Senator Emmanuel Bwacha said in an interview with journalists that since the accident that involved the governor, the state treasury is left at the mercy of Garba looting it blind without any outstanding project to show.
Former commissioner for information Emmanuel Bello told Blueprint on phone that the short time of acting governor Garba Umar a lot of funds accrued to the state from the federation account, but that there is nothing to show for it. The acting governor, according to him, uses the state funds to advertise his daughters for marriages that milked dry the state treasury.
The former speaker Taraba state house of assembly Hon. Habu Isa Ajiya told Blueprint on phone that Taraba state has benefitted from the wealth of experience of the acting governor given his age and private sector experience, as he refused to be detracted by even deliberate provocations occasioned by a group called the Kabal to create confusion in the state.
He went further to say that he is impressed and pleased with the decision of the acting governor to implement the N18,000 minimum wage at the third tier level of government and also the construction of four kilomaters of roads each in all the local government areas in the state. The former lawmaker, however, advised the acting governor to give attention to secondary education in the state and also ensure completion of ongoing projects before the end of their tenure.
Both Aaron Artimas and Alhaji Hadi Lau told Blueprint that the acting governor brought his experience to bear on the running of the state as a successful businessman. According to Umar’s special assistant on media and his commissioner for youths and sports, it is the maturity exhibited by the acting governor that has kept the state on the part of development even before the seeming security challenges.