A Benue State High Court has ordered the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) not to remove the chairman of the state chapter, Hon. Augustine Agada.
A copy of the order via an exparte order granted by Justice Theresa Igoche in motion no MH /1585m/2024, was made available to newsmen at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja on Wednesday.
The court particularly directed the Dr Abdullahi Umar Gandujeled National Working Committee (NWC) not to remove Hon. Austin Agada-led State Working Committee until the expiration of their 4 years tenure.
The Benue state charter of the APC is split along the lines of Governor Hyacinth Alia who is in support of Benjamin Omakolo led faction, and the Secretary to the government of the federation in support of the Agada led working committee of the party.
The Judge while granting the exparte application by Agada and eight others, restrained APC, either by itself, its privies, assigns, staff, officers, servants, agents, representatives, or whomsoever, howsoever described, from removing, changing replacing or howsoever terminating his tenure and other members of the Benue State Working Committee of the Respondent until the expiration of their four-year term in office pending the determination of the motion on Notice.
“I have looked at the processes filed along with the application, particularly, Exhibit MT “1” attached to the affidavit in support and I am satisfied that the application has merit,” the judge declared while granting the prayers of Agada.
“In the circumstances, I hereby grant the application as prayed.”
The Judge thereby ordered that the order be served on the APC forthwith, along with the motion on Notice fixed for hearing on 28th of this month.
Addressing a press conference at the national secretariat, the state chairman, Austin Agada, said he had submitted the court judgment to the party.
“I’m here to submit a court order by Hon. Justice Theresa Igoche restraining the National Working Committee (NWC) restraining them or their agents or anybody to terminate the tenure of the All Progressives Congress in Benue State.
“We were elected for four years and we are not pre-empting them but of course in very iota of rumour, because for sometimes there have been some movements by the Governor and his agents to dissolve the State Working Committee which I think it is not fair by all standards.”