Suntai’s Burial: Gov Darius Disagrees With Deputy Over Date

By BEN TAR, JALINGO – Controversy seems to be trailing the burial date of former governor of Taraba State, Pharm. Danbaba Danfulani Suntai.

This followed what looks like a crack in the administration of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State and his deputy, Haruna Manu, over an acceptable date for the burial of the former governor of the State.

While Governor Ishaku has announced August 5, 2017 as the date for the burial, his deputy has pointed shifted the burial date by additional two weeks, insisting that only August 19, 2017 is more feasible for the state.

The development has already set tongues wagging in political circles, even as the deputy governor, who is also the chairman of the Central Planning Committee for the burial arrangement, insisted that in spite of the official date communicated by Governor Ishaku, nobody had agreed for August 5, 2017 date as he pointedly said that the date is August 19, 2017.

Mamu said even though there are speculations among some members of his committee with regards to a tentative date, August 5, was never contemplated as it was clearly not convenient owing to logistic arrangement.

According to him; “During one of our deliberations, August 12, 2017 was mentioned, but it was noted that there would be a convention in Abuja on that day.

While announcing the August 5, 2017 date, Governor Ishaku had shortly after the State Executive Council meeting of July 24, 2017 which took place at the Council Chambers of Government House, Jalingo, said the late Governor Suntai will be given a state burial on August 5, 2017.

Ardent supporters of Governor Ishaku are believed not to have taken the position of the Deputy Governor lightly, as they view it as an affront and open display of disloyalty to his principal.

While this is going on, some pockets of supporters of the deputy governor are equally saying that the governor is deliberately frustrating every aspect of his deputy’s’ life in the administration, stressing that is it normal for a deputy governor not to have access to his principal?

A close aide to the deputy governor told our correspondent that; “I can tell you on good authority that my boss, the deputy governor, does not have access to his boss. He is always ridiculed and kept waiting for hours to see his boss just like any other person and at times, this could go on for days.”

Speaking along the same line, a member of the Burial Committee told our correspondent that Governor Ishaku approved the allocation of N10 million to the central committee to cover accommodation, feeding, transport, medical care, and publicity, adding that less than three weeks to the burial, nothing has been released.

He further said that given the situation on ground, the Central Planning Committee had no choice than to shift the date for the burial.

The Senior Special Assistant (Media) to the governor, Mr. Bala Dan Abu, however, said that there was no disagreement whatsoever between the two leaders, adding that the reason for the change in date was to enable the state give the late governor a befitting burial.