Members of the Taraba State House of Assembly on Monday unanimously confirmed the Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Sanni Danladi, as the Acting Governor.
The confirmation came barely 72 hours after Danladi was reinstated by the Supreme Court’s ruling which nullified his impeachment two years ago by the House.
Moving the motion, Alkinjo said there was the need to confirm the deputy governor so as to give him the executive powers to govern the state.
Citing Section 190 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Majority Leader urged the House to invoke the provision of Section 190 subsection 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to “ mandate His Excellency, the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sanni Abubakar Danladi, to act as the governor pending when His Excellency, Danbaba Suntai fully recuperates and assumes his functions as the Governor of Taraba State.”
Alkinjo, who took members down the memory lane on how the governor was involved in a plane crash, said that it had become relevant for the House to adhere to the 21-day provision of the Constitution, by allowing the deputy governor to assume the position of the acting governor.
Also speaking, member representing Donga Constituency, Istlifanu Gbana, said he believed that since the court had declared the position null and void, wasting time in confirming Danladi would amount to another injustice.
He said, “This is a legal issue and it is technical,” adding that “whosoever sat on that sit (Acting Governor) before, did that wrongly.”
Gbana, while admitting that the House might have acted wrongly by allowing Umar to act in the capacity of the acting governor, said, “We must go back to the drawing board and make correction.”
He added that the House had no other option than to confirm the deputy governor as acting governor.
Member representing Bali 11 constituency, Hammanadama Abdullah, believed that the issue had become fait accompli and ought not to be debated by members.