The All Progressives Congress (APC) has inaugurated a caretaker committee led by Hon. Benjamin Omale to manage the party’s affairs in Benue State, despite a court order prohibiting such action.
The move follows ongoing internal conflicts within the party’s state chapter, which have resulted in factionalism.
The decision was made in defiance of a Benue State High Court order restraining the National Working Committee (NWC) from removing Hon. Augustine Agada as the state chairman.
A copy of the ex-parte order, granted by Justice Theresa Igoche under motion no. MH/1585m/2024, was provided to newsmen at the APC national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.
The court order specifically instructed the NWC, led by Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, not to dismiss the Agada-led State Working Committee until the end of its four-year tenure.
The Benue APC is divided between factions supporting Governor Hyacinth Alia, who backs the Benjamin Omale-led group, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who supports the Agada-led committee.
Justice Igoche’s order, granted following an application by Agada and eight others, barred the APC from removing or altering the state working committee until the motion on notice is resolved.
Despite this, Ganduje proceeded to inaugurate a seven-member caretaker committee at the party headquarters in Abuja.
The new committee includes Hon. Benjamin Omale (Chairman), Prof. Bem Angwe (Secretary), Richard Mzungweve, James Ornguga, Barr. Terhemen Ngbea, Helen Agaigbe, and Barr. Ali Francis Adah.
In his address, Ganduje explained, “The problem we are facing in the state involves multiple factions, counter-factions, and ongoing litigation. The NWC cannot allow this situation to continue. The party is an institution that must remain united.”
He added that “to address these issues, we have acted in accordance with our Constitution, which led to the dissolution of the Executive Committee.”