Danbaba Suntai was flown abroad despite claims by President Jonathan he was stable
Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba was flown to Germany in an air
ambulance for medical attention at about 3.05 p.m on Saturday, the
governor’s spokesperson has said.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Hassan Mijinyawa, confirmed the development to newsmen in Jalingo on Saturday.
News of Mr. Suntai’s evacuation came even as the fate of the other
three survivors of the crash are unknown. It is not known whether they
are responding to treatment, authorities seem to have concentrated
attention on Mr. Suntai alone.
The governor was first airlifted to Abuja Friday preparatory to his being flown abroad.
President Goodluck Jonathan had on Friday visited Mr. Suntai at the
intensive care unit of the National Hospital, Abuja, telling journalists
afterwards the governor was in a stable condition.
He called on the Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Bello Bala
Shehu, to give the governor adequate care for quick recovery.
Shedding more light on the health condition of the governor, Mr. Shehu confirmed that Mr. Suntai was in a stable condition.
He said the hospital staff were attending to first degree injury sustained by the governor in the crash.
Mr. Shehu also said that the injury would not necessitate them to carry out any major operation on the governor.
But the Commissioner of Police in Adamawa State, Godfrey Okeke, had indicated Mr. Suntai would be flown abroad.
After visiting the governor Friday, the commissioner said Mr. Suntai
was responding to treatment and would have long been discharged if he
were “an ordinary man”.
“He is alive and in stable condition. He sustained minor injuries; if
he had been were an ordinary man, he would have been discharged but I
learnt he would be flown abroad for further medical checkup,’’ he said.
Mr. Okeke also confirmed that the other persons aboard the
seven-seater plane, including the governor’s aide-de-camp, were also
alive.
He added that they were receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre in Yola.

Wreckage of the aircraft carrying Governor Suntai and five others
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor, Garba Umar, in a statement called on
the people of the state to pray for the quick recovery of the governor
and his three aides.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Mr. Suntai and three of aides were involved in a plane crash in Yola on Thursday.
“We are grateful to God Almighty that in spite of the impact of the
crash, Gov. Suntai and his three aides survived and are in a stable
condition.
“I call on the good people of the state to pray for the speedy recovery of our dear governor and his affected aides,” he said.
The deputy governor also urged the people to be patriotic, law abiding and to live in peace and harmony with one another.
“While we thank God for his wonderful miracle, we remain committed to the protection of lives and property of our citizens.
“We will, therefore, view with grave concern any attempt to breach the peace and security of our state,” he warned.
Source: Premium Times