The Court of Appeal, Makurdi Division, has affirmed the Augustine Agada-led State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress in Benue State.
In the judgment delivered on Wednesday in an Appeal No. CA/MKD/119/2024 filed by the APC against the judgment of the Makurdi High Court delivered by Justice T. A. Kume, the court dismissed the appeal.
The lower court had nullified the dissolution of the Agada-led Benue executive of the APC by the party’s National Working Committee and set aside the appointment of a caretaker committee headed by Benjamin Omale.
Delivering the lead judgment on behalf of the panel, the Presiding Justice held that all five issues formulated by counsel for the appellant, S. D. Swem, and adopted and argued by M. T. Alyebo, counsel for Agada and eight others, were resolved against the appellant and in favour of Agada and the other respondents.
The appellate court also upheld the consequential order of the trial court, which declared that: “All activities of the Benjamin Omale-led caretaker committee are null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.”
Omale, who was the 10th respondent in the appeal, aligned himself with the arguments of the APC but did not file any independent process before the court.
In a statement issued by the state publicity secretary of the Agada-led excos, Daniel Ihomun, quoted Agada as expressing confidence in the judiciary’s ability to uphold justice.
He urged all members of the party to remain calm and united in the interest of the party.
The ruling APC in Benue State had been embroiled in crisis due to the cold war between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume and Governor Hyacinth Alia over the control of the party structure in the state.
