By Baron Ike
Former Governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai is dead. He reportedly died on Wednesday, June 28 according to sources close to the family.
His former commissioner, Emman Bello has also confirmed his death just as the state was thrown into mourning immediately his news of his passing went out.
Sunati has practically been confined to a place after his involvement in an air crash while flying himself since he was brought home from American hospital over political power in the state in 2014.
While nursing his injury, it was reported that he was unable to meet up with his medical appointments outside the country.
Taraba State Governor Dairus Ishaku had complained of lack of funds, saying the state government cannot continue to foot the former governor’s medical bills, according to a source.
During this year’s Lovers Day, February 14, a video of Suntai with the wife, Hauwa giving him attention with flowers and toys went viral and elicited sympathetic responses from the public.
In 2015, 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”.
Born Danbaba Danfulani at Suntai Town in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State in June 30, 1961, Suntai became a pharmacist and was elected as Governor of Taraba State on the platform of Nigeria then running People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in April 2007, and was sworn in on 29 May 2007. He ran successfully for reelection on 26 April 2011.
He attended Federal Government College, Kano (1975–1980) and the School of Basic Studies at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1980–1981). He was admitted to Ahmadu Bello University where he read Pharmacy and graduated in 1984. He did his internship at Yola Specialist Hospital and his National Youth Service at the State Hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta, Ogun State (1985–1986). He then worked at the General Hospital, Ganye in old Gongola State until 1991.
Suntai was elected Chairman of Bali Local Government (1989–1993). Joining the Taraba State civil service, he was Director-General of the Taraba State Ministry of Agriculture and National Resources (1994–1996). In the 1999 elections, he was State chairman of the All People’s Party (APP), when the PDP narrowly defeated the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP). In 2000, he became Chairman of Taraba State Investment and Properties Ltd. He was appointed Commissioner of the Ministry of Education (2000–2003), and worked at the Ministry of Health (2003–2005) before becoming Secretary to the Taraba State Government (2005–2007).
In the run-up to the 2007 elections, Danladi Baido won the PDP gubernatorial primaries but was later disqualified. Two months before the election the PDP national secretariat replaced Baido with Suntai, who had not stood in the primaries. Baido lent his support to Suntai, and in April 2007 Suntai won election as Governor of Taraba State.
After the elections, relations between Suntai and Baido soured. The unsuccessful Action Congress candidate challenged the switch of PDP candidates and in February 2008 Baido joined this suit. In February 2009 Baido petitioned the then Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro over alleged SMS messages from Suntai threatening to harm him and his family if he continued to appeal the election. In June 2009 Baido claimed that an attempt had been made to assassinate him, linking the incident to the alleged threats.
During his tenure as governor Suntai made efforts to fight corruption, crime and lack of discipline, while delegating authority and providing funds to the Local Government Areas. In January 2009 a group of Concerned Indigenes of Taraba State sent a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), with a copy to then President Umaru Yar’Adua, concerning alleged fraudulent financial practices in Suntai’s administration. Claims included unnecessary imports of foreign cars, use of foreign rather than local workers, and inflated road building contracts.
In October 2009, Suntai said he strongly supported religious and moral teaching aimed at reducing juvenile delinquency, crime and other vices. He said his administration was strongly behind both the Christian and Islamic faiths since both religions teach peace, love and unity. He initiated reforms to make local government administration more transparent.
Among other effects, the monthly pension bill dropped from N33 million to N22 million, while pensioners began getting more regular payments. In November 2009, Suntai commissioned a N540 million computerized stone-crushing and asphalt plant to provide road building materials. The plant was constructed by the state government but to be operated on a fully commercial basis.
Suntai ran successfully for reelection on 26 April 2011. He had a plane crash on October 25, 2012 and was hospitalized till 2014 when he was brought home.