by Ralph Egbu

Those who would have misgivings about this point and begin to shout bogus “progress of the people” should note that the Suntai situation is not novel. A onetime president of America , Franklin Delano Roosevelt took ill while in office and  when he returned he came back not fully recovered and in a wheel chair. The moment he returned, he took over. On a wheel chair, he won elections three other times and even died in office.

Suddenly, in Taraba State, the atmosphere has become charged. There is tension everywhere. People who naturally would not know much of what the issues are have as usual been made to operate like animals in a cage. They live with their hearts virtually in their mouths. They trooped out en-mass to vote for Governor Suntai and members of the State House of Assembly. Their intension was not to start any conflict that would put them under undue trepidation. They looked forward to the betterment of their lives and the continuous positive transformation of their physical environment.

But from the look of things the bubble is about to  burst  and the main factor behind it all is not the progress of the people but naked ambition. Yes, for those of us versed in the intricacies of politics in a backward society, we know that many times the evil ones would parrot good and in particular common good, when the true but hidden motive is selfish. From what I saw during the week coming out from Taraba State, I could confidently establish a case of wickedness, betrayal of trust (which is common with us), lack of principle, opportunism, primitive pre-bendalism and lack of focus.

By now it’s common knowledge that Governor Suntai of Taraba State was involved in a fatal plane crash sometime in October last year. For that reason he was flown abroad for treatment which lasted till August this year. While he was away, every committed patriot was rightly worried if he was permanently incapacitated or not. It was a proper concern that if he was down and out, then the people of Taraba, ought naturally to be given the opportunity to strengthen things and to ensure that the wheels of progress was not stalled. In  that realm, that concern was genuine and very pertinent. But the scenario changed dramatically with the return of Suntai, the rightful governor of Taraba State, elected by the people through a proper election.

I said the situation changed because the man who nobody saw at all was here at last. Those who know him confirmed he is the one. His eyes were clearly open even though he was helped not carried down from the plane that brought him home. That he opted not to talk was and remains for me immaterial. Same day he arrived Abuja , he flew back to his state and precisely to the capital Jalingo and into the seat of power. I  thought  this gesture should at least stir some respite at least for some two or three weeks but that’s not what I see. In its place, I saw what I term naked ambition and base crave for power.

Let me begin from the deputy governor, who until Suntai’s return, was the acting governor. He welcomed his boss, which is what any right thinking person would expect from a decent being but what he harbored in mind was exposed when Suntai transmitted a letter, which is what the  constitution required, to the State House of Assembly indicating his return and resumption of office.

An acting governor, who came into office at the behest of the Governor, now turned around to appeal for calm, insisting that he was still holding power until the House spoke on the letter they received. That is wickedness and betrayal. Keeping quiet like President Goodluck Jonathan did during the Yar’Adua case could have served him better but a Judas would most times not be in a position to exhibit patience. If the Assembly did not have to deliberate on the first letter to give him access to power why should they have to this time, which the constitution did not so prescribe? This is where the deputy governor  shot himself in the foot.

I saw a particular lawyer talking on Channels’ early morning programme Sunrise and I shed tears for this nation. I heard him say the Speaker must first ascertain if Suntai wrote the letter. Some other members in Taraba House of Assembly displayed  ignorance to a ridiculous level by demanding that Suntai appear in the House. What nonsense and what disfiguration of democratic norms and in particular rules. If they doubt the source of the letter to them, the question would be how many times in the past did they have to doubt. Now do you ascertain authenticity by summoning the governor to the House?

Is there any rule that provides that the House can summon a Governor? Then, is summoning the Governor even if they suspect incapacitation, within their right? The truth about all of these is that the State Assembly has no right to summon the Governor, if even he is down. The right over his health status begins with the State Executive Council, which in this case has not expressed any doubt. The Speaker and the State Assembly made only a bold attempt to rubbish the cherished concept of separation of powers. If they  wanted any information, the right approach would have been to visit the State House which they later did. Their conclusion that Suntai was unfit is beyond their jurisdiction at this stage. They are interlopers at this point, exhibiting without shame the usual predatory instincts of the average Nigerian politician.

Those who talk about debate on this point miss the issues. Yes, Suntai may be down but is he out? I don’t think so. He may not be able to walk around, or talk in rapid succession, but if his eyes are open like I saw on television, then he can finish his tenure. Government is not essentially about the Chief Executive otherwise there won’t be need for Executive Councils and other kinds of aides. Aides are there to go finish what had been planned and to bring back reports. The deputy governor is there for this kind of moment. This  time, all he needed to  do is to increase his activities to ensure group survival. But he is missing the point and compounding the situation  of  deputy governors generally.

Those who would have misgivings about this point and begin to shout bogus “progress of the people” should note that the Suntai situation is not novel. A onetime president of America , Franklin Delano Roosevelt took ill while in office and  when he returned he came back not fully recovered and in a wheel chair. The moment he returned, he took over. On a wheel chair, he won elections three other times and even died in office. That is how sacrosanct a people’s mandate could be. The Suntai I saw can see and talk. That is the difference between his case and that of Yar’Adua, in case those who like comparisons and talking still want to stay at their game.

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