The Taraba State House of Assembly has passed a resolution empowering the state’s deputy governor, Garba Umar, to act as governor.
The lawmakers passed the resolution on Wednesday morning by invoking section 190(2) of Nigerian constitution.
The motion to make Mr Umar the acting governor was moved under “matters of urgent public importance” by the majority leader, Charles Maijankai. Lawmakers who contributed to the motion include the Deputy Speaker, Abel Diah and Mark Useni of Takum II Constituency.
The contributors said the House was law-abiding and must abide by the constitution. Mr Useni recalled that Governor Danbaba Suntai, himself, had on three occasions in the past, transmitted letters to the House asking the lawmakers to make his deputy the acting governor in his absence.
Mr Useni said Mr Suntai had always been acting “within the ambits of the law.”
The state had been without a governor since the plane crash involving the incumbent governor.
Mr Suntai is currently receiving treatment in Germany.