Former Taraba Governor Suntai Suffers Stroke - Abandoned By Government And Associates

The Taraba State government and close associates of former 

governor Danbaba Suntai, who was involved in a plane crash 

while in office have abandoned him as his health deteriorates.

Suntai was brought back to the country from American hospital 

over political power in the state.

The former governor currently suffers from stroke and has been 

unable to meet up with his medical appointments outside the 

country.

The current state governor Dairus Ishaku complained of lack of 

funds, saying the state government cannot continue to foot the 

former governor’s medical bills, a source hinted.

The source said Suntai may be flown outside the country this 

week possibly on the expenses of Governor Mohammed Jibrilla 

Bindowa of Adamawa state.

Coordinator of the Taraba Peoples Assembly, Martins Andekin in 

an article titled ‘Let’s pray for Governor Danbaba Suntai’ lamented 

that those who rode on the former governor’s back to get political 

offices in the state have abandoned him, as his health deteriorates 

daily.

The article reads in parts: “The plot to blackmail and remove Alhaji 

Garba Umar from the governance of Taraba State started almost immediately after the ill-fated air accident which incapacitated 

former Governor Danbaba Suntai.

“The presumed associates of Danbaba Suntai saw Alhaji Garba 

Umar as an impostor who had come from nowhere to reap from 

their political labour. It was his major sin.

“However, the fulcrum of the struggle to remove Alhaji Garba 

Umar was Danbaba’s ill-health. While governor Danbaba was 

battling for his life in a German hospital, the group now widely 

known as the cabals spread all forms of lies, falsehoods and 

propaganda to mislead and hoodwink ordinary people to believe 

that indeed Danbaba had miraculously recovered and would 

return in a matter of days.

“Several timelines were given for his return to no avail while 

intensifying the false and dangerous notion that Garba Umar 

was usurping his principal’s power. Twice, the cabals abducted 

Governor Danbaba Suntai from his sick bed in America and 

Great Britain claiming that he had recovered his health. 

The two incidents ended in total disaster and disgrace for the 

organizers, which included national political jobbers like Professor 

Jerry Gana, John Dara.

“Later, a gullible section of the Christian Association of Nigeria, 

not only joined this devious and self-seeking conspiracy but also 

took the front row in spreading wild rumors and ferrying Governor Danbaba Suntai round churches in the name of attending church 

services.

“This not only aggravated his illness but also took a heavy toll on 

the image of the State.

“As soon as Sani Abubakar Danladi was installed, Danbaba Suntai 

was completely abandoned by these so-called associates and some members of the Christian Association of Nigeria, who claimed to 

be fighting for him.

“He was not taken to church again; no inter-denominational 

service was held for him and worst still, his upkeep was drastically 

cut. In fact Danbaba Suntai was not seen in public again until 

another exploitative manipulation when he was paraded in a 

voting unit purporting to cast his vote.

“The highest stage of betrayal against Danbaba Suntai, whom 

the cabals and their cohorts, pretended he was still in office, was 

the glaring failure to even take him to the swearing in of his 

successor to do a symbolic hand-over.

“Nobody said anything about him as he had since been moved 

to a house said to have been bought for him by the government.

“The latest unfortunate development is that the former Governor Danbaba’s health has deteriorated and he is returning to hospital 

abroad on the expenses of Governor Mohammed Jibrilla Bindowa 

of Adamawa state and not the Taraba State Governor that had 

always claimed to work in his interest.

“It is now clear that Danbaba Suntai has been made a sacrificial 

lamb for a pretentious and contrived power shift by some self 

imposed political cronies and misguided people claiming to 

establish a religious hegemony in the state.

“If Governor Danbaba Suntai, had stayed in hospital for a 

minimum period of two and half years as his American doctors had 

initially recommended, by now he would have fully recovered his 

health. But, the power mongers would have none of it, and now 

his health has continued to spiral downwards due to constant 

movements against medical advice.

“If something drastic happens to him, these cronies and some 

gullible pastors will have to bear the shame and guilt of using and 

dumping this innocent man, to their graves.

“On his path, Alhaji Garba Umar had kept faith with his boss. He 

had not withheld a single kobo from all requirements for his 

treatment and upkeep. On two separate occasions, when 

Governor Danbaba Suntai required urgent Medical checkup 

abroad, the administration of Alhaji Garba Umar immediately 

raised funds to charter aircraft to convey him to London to and 

fro, including the cost of his medication and allowances for his 

family and medical aides. On the other hand when a similar 

situation occurred after he left office, it took more than two 

months to raise funds to put him on a commercial British Airways 

flight to London. 

There is no administration in Nigeria that is insulated from 

shortage of funds. Every responsible government must rise to the challenge of prudently managing its resources instead of 

unnecessarily blaming others as an excuse for failure to meet the 

people’s expectations.

•  “Alhaji Garba Umar, also provided enough for his families including full financial support to his children schooling abroad; despite several attempts to instigate hatred and insults 

against him. Time has now provided all God fearing Tarabans and 

other Nigerians the opportunity to determine, who between Umar 

UTC and the cabals, had betrayed Danbaba”.

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