It was an emotional scene.
Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako was all tears yesterday as he visited
Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai at the Government House, Jalingo.
It was tears of joy, he told The
Nation.
Suntai spent 10 months in
Germany and United States, treating the injuries he sustained when a plane he
piloted crashed near Yola, Adamawa State on October 25, last year. He wrote to
the House yesterday, saying he was set to resume work.
Nyako, the first caller since
Suntai’s return on Sunday from the Hospital Rehabilitation Centre and Home, New
York, United States, spent over an hour with his counterpart in his inner sitting
room. The duo sat on one chair.
Suntai was wearing an ash-colour
suit with a blue-black shirt. Nyako was clad in a white agbada and a black cap.
He prayed for Suntai to recover
fully.
As Nyako prayed, Suntai bowed
his head, responding–in a low voice: “Amen, amen”.
Prayers over, Suntai clapped his
hands and smiled.
When Nyako shook Suntai’s hand,
telling him he was about to leave, the tears began to drop.
The Taraba governor looked
smarter yesterday. He also walked without assistance – unlike when he arrived
in Abuja on Sunday, aided to walk from the plane onto the tarmac.
He wore a stress-free face and
was more relaxed. He did not wince, as he did on Sunday.
Speaking with the wife of the
Taraba Governor, Hajiya Hauwa Suntai, in the main sitting room, Nyako described
him as his brother and not only a colleague.
“What affects him affects me
too. I pray he recovers speedily so that he can continue with the work, where
he stopped,” he said.
Suntai’s wife expressed
appreciation for Nyako’s show of love.
She recalled that the Adamawa
governor conveyed Suntai to the Yola Hospital and to Abuja the following day
before he was flown abroad for treatment when the accident occured.
Addressing reporters, Nyako
said: “You saw me sheding tears of joy”.
“I am very happy; I can now go
back to my state (Adamawa) and tell my people.
“I wish him (Suntai) a very
quick recovery. Governor Suntai and I have a lot of struggles and grounds to
cover”; when he recovers, we shall ensure that justice prevails and democracy
is being developed in our dear states.”
Nyako recalled when Taraba and
Adamawa were carved out of the defunct Gongola State in 1991, stressing that
Taraba and Adamawa are one.
The Adamawa governor left the
Government House, Jalingo at 12:00p.m.
Acting governor of Taraba State
Garba Umar yesterday said he was happy over his boss’s return.
He briefed reporters in his
office in Jalingo.
Umar appreciated the turnout and
urged Taraba people to “sustain the unity and cooperation”.
“I am very happy for the
successful homecoming of my boss, the Executive Governor of Taraba State, His
Excellency Danbaba Suntai.
“I appreciate the unity,
cooperation and the way everyone turned out. I want to urge Taraba people to
sustain this unity and cooperation.
The House of Assembly may hold a
plenary on Suntai’s homecoming today, it was learnt.
Suntai has communicated the
House in writing about his return.
The Speaker, Haruna Tsokwa, held
a meeting with the acting governor in the latter’s office yesterday evening.
The speaker declined to speak to
reporters after the meeting.(The Nation)
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