By Amos Aar, with Agency report
A BENUE High Court presided over by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, has ordered the reinstatement of Mr Austin Agada, as Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ikpambese gave the order on Monday, while ruling on a motion seeking to set aside the Interim Order, restraining Agada from parading himself as Chairman of the APC in Benue.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Agada was suspended by the Benue High Court in Aliade, presided over by Justice Lilian Tsumba, over allegations of anti-party activities.
After listening to the arguments of counsel to Agada, Mr Agaba Moses and Mr J. J. Usman, SAN, Ikpambese vacated the order restraining Agada from parading himself, functioning and acting as the Chairman of the APC in Benue.
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The Chief Judge ruled that under Order 39 Rule 3, of the Benue State High Court Procedure Rules, 2023, the lifespan of an interim order is seven days, and since the order was issued on February 2, it had elapsed by law.
He also ruled that Tsumba, who restrained Agada, did not have the jurisdiction to give an Interim Order, since the matter was not assigned to her by the Chief Judge, or the Superior Judge in Aliade.
Ikpambese further nullified the appointment of Benjamin Omakolo as Acting Chairman of the APC in Benue, and any other appointments made from February 2, 2024.
The Chief Judge, therefore, said he would assign the matter to another judge, who would hear the matter on its merits.
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Meanwhile Hon. Omakolo, who is alleged to have been suspended by his council ward, had at a press conference in Makurdi on Sunday ordered all APC meetings in the state to stop until clearance was issued by him.
“All APC meetings in the state is hereby stopped forthwith until clearance is issued by me”, Omakolo directed.
National Record observed that the embattled Acting Chairman addressed journalists outside the party’s state secretariat contrary to what used to be.
