Suntai Did His Best for Taraba State, Say PDP, Tukur

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said there is no doubt that the late former Governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai, did his best to provide for his family and served the state well.

In a statement issued yesterday by the party spokesman,  Dayo Adeyeye, on behalf of the organs of the party, he expressed condolence to the Governor of Taraba State, Governor Darius Ishaku, the people of the state and the family of Suntai over his demise few days ago.

“The former governor no doubt, did his best to provide for his family and served the state well. We pray the Lord rest his Soul; and also pray for Ishaku, the people of Taraba State and the family of Suntai to bear this irreparable loss.

The statement said: “As Governor of Taraba State, Suntai initiated reforms to make local government administration more independent and transparent amongst other lofty ideas aimed at delivering good dividends to his people. For instance, he ensured that pensioners in the state were paid regularly, and the pension bill reduced from N33 million to N22 million before he left office.

“It is noteworthy that in 2009, Suntai established the computerised stone crushing and asphalt plant in Taraba State to provide enough raw materials for the construction of roads, houses and other related matters in the state.”

Suntai was elected in 2007 as the Governor of Taraba State on the platform of our great party, the PDP; and he was re-elected in 2011 after completing his first tenure meritoriously. Unfortunately, Governor Suntai could not complete his second tenure due to his incapacitation following injuries he sustained from a helicopter crash on October 25, 2012 in Yola, Adamawa State.

In the same vein, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, expressed shock at the demise of former Governor of Taraba State, Mr. Dambaba Suntai, who died in the United States of America last Tuesday.

Tukur spoke to THISDAY from the Middle East where he is currently holidaying over the Ramadan.

“The death of Suntai is a huge loss to me and the people of Taraba State and Nigeria. I have known Suntai long before I became Governor of the old Gongola State which includes the present day Taraba and he was such a great leader for his people,” he said.

“My family and I will miss him certainly and I pray that Allah will comfort his family and give them energy to bear the loss.

“Suntai worked tirelessly for the people of Taraba State during his days as governor, but for the crash of his plane that horrible evening some years ago, the state would have had more of democratic dividends that he spread to all corners of the state,” Tukur concluded.

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