By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State High Court sitting in Makurdi presided over by Justice Theresa Igoche on Wednesday granted an interim injunction restraining the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from removing, replacing or suspending members of the state working committee led by Comrade Austin Agada.
The court also ordered the APC from tempering with the 4-year tenure of the state Exco, which is loyal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, pending the determination of the motion on notice.
Justice Igoche, after hearing the motion with no. MCH/1585m/2024 filed by the state legal adviser of the party, Alyebo Matthew, granted the interim injunction and adjourned the case to August 28, 2024 for hearing.
The injunction became public following the announcement of the dissolution of all the factional Excos of the party in the state and the inauguration of a 7-man caretaker committee by the NWC headed by Hon. Benjamin Omale.
Others in the 7-man caretaker committee inaugurated by the APC National Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja include: Prof. Bem Angwe as secretary; Hon. Richard Mzungweve, Hon. James Ornguga, Barr. Terhemen Ngbea, Hon. Mrs Helen Agaigbe and Barr. Ali Francis Adah, as members.
Ganduje, while noting that the list was drawn from nominations from the two factions operating in the state, explained that the decision became necessary to save the party from total collapse, citing Article 13 of the APC Constitution.
He urged the caretaker committee to unite the party in Benue, conduct primaries for the forthcoming local government elections and give appropriate party portfolios to the committee members to suit relevant party roles.
Responding on behalf of the committee, the new caretaker chairman, Chief Benjamin Omale, thanked the NWC for the responsibility and pledged to unite all aggrieved members of the party in Benue to form a united force that would continue to win.
He urged APC members in Benue to bury their grievances and come together in the overriding interest of the party and the state.
