The leadership crisis within the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has resurfaced following the presence of former chairman Austin Agada at a recent national party meeting in Abuja where national chairman, Abdullah Ganduje was.
Reacting to Agada’s presence at the APC national meeting, the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr Benjamin Omale, in a statement issued on Thursday, accused Agada of gatecrashing the event for publicity.
He also described Agada as an “imposter” who engaged in a “sneak and snap show” to create a false impression of legitimacy.
The APC in Benue has been embroiled in a power struggle between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
In response, the party’s national leadership dissolved the Agada-led state working committee and installed a caretaker committee led by Omale.
However, Agada challenged the decision in the Benue State High Court, which reinstated him as chairman.
Despite the court ruling, Omale and his committee continue to run the party’s affairs.
“Austin Agada now specializes in sneaking anywhere the APC National Chairman, Alhaji Ganduje, is holding meetings, standing behind him for a snapshot, and departing immediately,” Omale stated.
He insisted that Agada was no longer the party’s chairman, emphasizing that since his removal, the caretaker committee had led the party to a landslide victory in the October 5, 2024, local government elections.
“It is deeply concerning and deceptive that Austin Agada has continued to parade himself as the Chairman of APC Benue State, despite his removal,” Omale said.
Dismissing claims of Agada’s participation in the February 11 meeting, Omale asserted: “The latest in his series of misleading antics is his claim of attending a strategic meeting with the APC National Leadership and North Central Governors.
“We wish to categorically state that Austin Agada was neither invited nor was there any meeting convened that warranted his presence.”
Omale further alleged that Agada “took photographs and is now using them to mislead the public.”
He assured party members that the national leadership had been notified and measures were being taken to prevent such occurrences in the future.
In a swift response, Agada refuted Omale’s claims, insisting that he remains the duly elected chairman and was officially invited to the Abuja meeting.
A statement issued by the Agada-led faction’s Publicity Secretary, Daniel Ihomun, stated: “Regarding the alleged attendance of a meeting at the National level in Abuja, we wish to state unequivocally that the Chairman was duly invited and participated in the meeting in his capacity as the legitimate State Chairman of the APC Benue State.
“The insinuation that he attended without an invitation is not only false but also a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation and undermine his leadership.”
Ihomun further dismissed Omale’s position, arguing that he is not a recognised member of the party in Benue.
“The party wishes to state clearly without ambiguity that Benjamin Omale is not a member of the party in Benue State, as his name is not in the register of Onyagede-Ihaje Ward in Ohimini Local Government Area.
“That Office of Unity Committee Chairman is an unknown position in the party and doesn’t exist in the APC Constitution 2022 as Amended,” the statement added.
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