Why I Won’t Appear Before Medical Panel - Ailing Gov Suntai

Following the constitution of a medical panel set up by Taraba state House of Assembly to determine his state of health, the ailing governor of the state, Danbaba Suntai, has said that he will not appear before the panel, Punch reports.

The five-man medical panel which constitutes Prof. B.B Shehu as chairman, Dr. Inusa Samaila, Prof. Peter Alabi, Dr. Shehu Sule and Dr. Ahmed Kara, who is Suntai’s personal physician, was set up to ascertain the mental and physical condition of the governor so as to know whether he is capable of governing the state.

^{Suntai while addressing the press during his return}

Speaking through his Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Timothy Kataps, in an interview, Gov Suntai gave reasons why he won’t appear before the panel.

According to Kataps, since the matter was already before the court, it was not advisable for the governor to appear before the panel. 

Kataps said, “Remember that the issue of a medical team to examine Suntai was part of the reliefs we sought in an earlier suit we filed against the House of Assembly. So, until that case is dispensed with, it will not be wise for the governor to appear before any medical team.”

Suntai, in April 2007 won election as Governor of Taraba State. In April 2011, he was reelected.

In October 2012, the governor suffered serious injuries when a helicopter he was flying crashed near Yola, the Adamawa State capital. 

He was flown abroad for treatment and after several months, he was brought back to Nigeria in August 2013 which sparked a lot of controversy as many were of the opinion that he couldn’t govern the state but the cabal behind him said he was mentally and physically fit to resume office.

Due to his state of health, his deputy, Alhaji Umar Garba, was therefore authorized by the Taraba State assembly, to continue acting as governor.

The ailing Governor was once again flown to London, on June 3, 2014, Tuesday, for a medical check-up and he was brought back on Saturday night, 13 September. He spoke to reporters in Abuja and according to report his condition is yet to improve.