Governor Suntai seeks out-of-court settlement to end Taraba crisis

Hopes for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Taraba State got a boost on Monday as Governor Danbaba Suntai, at a Jalingo High Court, filed an application for an out-of-court settlement in an action in which he challenged the state House of Assembly's decision to reject his letter of resumption to duty, after returning from a medical treatment abroad.

The presiding judge, Justice Ali Andenyatso, adjourned the case to October 28, for further hearing or for the court to receive the outcome of the out-of-the-court settlement.

Counsel to Suntai, Elijah Nyaro, who stood in for Mr. Alex Iziyon (SAN), filed an oral application seeking a three-week adjournment to enable the parties to reach an out-of-court settlement.

Counsel to the Assembly and Speaker Haruna Tsokwa, Mr. Yusuf Ali (SAN) and Mr. Yusufu Akirikwen, respectively, did not object to the request.

Justice Andenyatso said, 'Even though the ruling on the application for the transfer of the matter to the Court of Appeal as requested by the Taraba Assembly was ready, I am adjourning the case to October 28 as prayed by the lawyers.'

It was reported that the majority of the lawmakers had rejected the letter sent in by Suntai, on his return from treatment abroad on August 25, seeking to resume full duties as the state governor.

They raised questions as to whether the letter was written by the governor and, therefore, directed the acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, to continue in office and advised Suntai to go back and continue with his treatment in the US.

Following this, Suntai went to court seeking the interpretation of section 190 of the 1999 Constitution.

The section provides that 'if a governor transmits a written declaration that he is proceeding on a vacation or he is otherwise unable to discharge his duties his functions shall be discharged by his deputy in  an acting capacity until he transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written declaration to the contrary.'