I'm Shocked That My Deputy Is Betraying Me; Says Gov Suntai

Taraba State Governor Danbaba Suntai has accused his deputy, Alhaji Garba Umar, of betrayal. Suntai said he least expected his deputy to lust for his (Suntai’s) office given the confidence he reposed in him.

Suntai, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Sylvanus Yakubu, said the governor was not the only one that felt betrayed but the entire people of the state.

Yakubu, who was reacting to Umar’s statement on Tuesday that he was 100 per cent loyal to Suntai and would not undermine his authority, said, “His (Umar’s) activities are a direct opposite of what he keeps saying.”

In a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday, he added that he had personally lost the respect for Umar, who has been the state acting governor since October last year when Suntain sustained injuries when the small aircraft he flown crashed in nearby Adamawa.

“The deputy governor keeps talking of 100 per cent loyalty, but the reverse is the case; his people are in court against Governor Suntai,” he said.

Yakubu added, “What we want is to see is him (Umar) showing concern for the governor’s health, and loyalty to his principal, by negotiating with him on how to resolve the political impasse.

“The governor had on August 28 announced the dissolution of the executive and made new appointments but Umar disregarded the dissolution. A cabal was trying to hijack the machinery of government.”