Abubakar’s Return Alters Political Equation in Taraba

In new calculations being made with an eye to next year’s general elections, former Secretary to the Taraba State Government, Mr. Timothy Kataps, was yesterday returned as the state’s SSG. This was as Friday’s court-ordered reinstatement of Alhaji Sani Danladi Abubakar as deputy governor continued to reshape political equations in the state. Also restored to his former post was Aminu Jika, who was named Chief of Staff to the Governor in appointments announced by Chief Press Secretary, Government House, Alhaji Hassan Mijinyawa.

The Supreme Court had on Friday nullified the October 4, 2012 impeachment of Abubakar, ordering that he should be reinstated as the deputy governor. In a unanimous judgement delivered by Justice Sylvester Nwgwuta, the court held that the deputy governor was denied fair hearing. The court also faulted the composition of the sevenman panel that had probed the allegations of misconduct against Abubakar and the process for the preparation of the impeachment notice against him.

Abubakar took office on Friday and cancelled all appointments made by the sacked acting governor, Garba Umar, who had taken over from him after an impeachment believed to have been supported by Suntai. The return of Kataps and Jika as SSG and Chief of Staff, respectively, is a major sign of a realignment of forces, particularly, in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the

state, that is emboldening supporters of Governor Dambaba Suntai, who is still recuperating from injuries he sustained from a plane crash on October 25, 2012.. THISDAY learnt that Suntai's men gave Abubakar the moral and logistics support that ensured his victory at the Supreme Court. Despite, allegedly, organsing Umar's emergence as deputy governor, Suntai's men were said to have turned their backs on him because he became too ambitious and wanted to assert himself by destroying Suntai's political structure.

Kataps and Jika were among key officials appointed by Suntai on August 28 last year, when he dissolved state executive council and sacked all advisers, following his August 25 return to the country from abroad, where he had been receiving medical treatment. The reinstatement of the two men is part of a political realignment that has been engendered by Abubakar's return.

However, as THISDAY also learnt, some political stakeholders in the state are mounting an aggressive campaign to circumvent any attempt by Suntai to govern by proxy. They are said to be pressuring the House of Assembly to quickly pass a resolution to make Abubakar acting governor to enable him have a mind of his own.

Moves are also said to be in progress to reinstate Rt. Hon. Istifanus Haruna Gbana, who was impeached in April last year, as Speaker of the state Assembly. Umar was widely believed to have sponsored the impeachment of the speaker to make way for the emergence of someone that would give him maximum cooperation.

The new calculations have largely altered previous arrangements ahead of next year's general elections.

Before Friday's judgement, Umar was the leading aspirant for the PDP governorship ticket and it was believed in several quarters that his emergence was almost certain. This belief tended to be confirmed by the outcome of the recent PDP ward congresses, which placed Umar at a vantage position not only to win the governorship primaries, but also to determine those that would be the party's candidates for the other elective offices.

Although, there was a court order barring PDP and Independent National Electoral Commission from using the result of the ward congresses in the state for the party's primaries, in a suit filed by Senator Joel Ikenya. It was a blow to the Umar camp. But Friday's judgement sacking him from office has put paid to the political scenario that would have enabled him to emerge the PDP governorship candidate with ease.

But while Umar still remains an aspirant for the PDP governorship ticket, the door to contest the election has been technically shut against Abubakar. Abubakar did not purchase the PDP intent and nomination forms before the deadline for the submission of the forms. Though, his support would be key in determining who wins the party's governorship primary scheduled to hold on December 5.

Abubakar is said to have an arrangement with the Suntai group to support someone from the southern senatorial district to emerge the PDP governorship candidate and the next governor of the state.

Abubakar held a meeting behind closed doors at the weekend with the members of the state Assembly led by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Tanko Maikarfi, and other principal officers. Though, the outcome of the meeting was not made known, sources said there was a likelihood of a change in the Assembly's leadership in the coming days, with member representing Wukari II, Hon. Ishaya Daniel Gani, being tipped to become the new speaker. Other sources, however, say there is an attempt to bring back Gbana.

But a member of the Assembly, Hon. Mark Useni, told THISDAY that there was no plan to change the leadership of the legislature.