by ‘Jola Sotubo

The crisis in Taraba State escalated yesterday following an alleged plot to impeach the acting Governor, Garba Umar.

The plot is allegedly being hatched by the supporters of embattled Governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai, because according to them, Alhaji Umar has been disloyal to his boss, Suntai.

According to reports, the loyalists of Governor Danbaba Suntai have perfected plans to remove the Acting Governor.

They also claimed that the Acting Governor had lobbied the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some forces in the presidency to remove the governor.

Suntai’s loyalists alleged that were it not for security implications of Umar’s lobbying, the presidency almost conceded to his agitation.

A source said: “There is a plan to remove the Acting Governor. Some loyalists of Suntai are already going about to influence members of the state House of Assembly to impeach Umar.
“Their main grouse is that Umar is disloyal. In one of their meetings, one of those aggrieved said: “Can you imagine that the man had only N48, 000 in his account when he was appointed a deputy governor? Now he wants to be governor; we won’t allow it. I think he should be the one to go.

“Some of them are trying to introduce ethnic and religious sentiments to impeach Umar. Their first target now is to hijack the House of Assembly from the control of the Speaker, Haruna Tsokwa.”
But pro-Umar supporters have faulted the position of Suntai’s sympathizers.

A source in the Umar camp said: “For 10 months, the Acting Governor refused to move into the Government House and he was still using his office. Is that an ambitious person?

“Apart from paying a get-well visit to Suntai, he made sure that the state government footed the medical bill of the governor.

“Suntai’s loyalists can crosscheck from the presidency whether Umar betrayed his boss in any manner whatsoever. They are complaining that he sacked some members of the executive. What should he do if things were wrong?”

Responding to a question, the source added: “We are aware of a plot to remove Umar so that he won’t take over from Suntai, if he is incapacitated.

“I think they want to remove Umar before declaring Suntai unfit as a governor. They have a game plan.”

On its part, the Taraba Justice Forum last night asked President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the crisis.

The group, which made the demand in a statement by its General Secretary, Barrister John Ambulus, said the presidential intervention was necessary to avoid implosion.”