The end seems not in sight in the crisis rocking the Benue
State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
DAILY POST reports that the party has been embroiled in a
leadership crisis since the inception of the new government led by Rev Fr
Hyacinth Alia.
Alia’s alleged cold war with the party’s state leader and the
current Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has caused
a deep division within the party, with members taking sides.
While the state party chairman, Austin Agada, and majority of
the members of the executive committee remain loyal to Akume, few others
pitched their tents with Alia.
Agada, who is firmly with Akume, has been a fierce critic of
the state governor, and this could be linked to his current ordeal.
Recently, Dan Onjeh, the APC senatorial candidate in the 2023
Benue South election, submitted
a petition against Agada to the APC national leadership, accusing him
of working against the party during the last election.
Consequently, the former Ward Chairman of Hajes 1, Owukpa,
who is now a Supervisory Councilor with Ogbadibo LGA, announced
Agada’s suspension, but the national body quickly nullified the
suspension, instructing the party to stay action pending a review.
However, in a dramatic turn of events on Thursday, Benjamin
Omakolo, the State Welfare Secretary was purportedly announced as the acting
chairman of the party in the state.
However, the party’s disciplinary committee in Apa LGA
later suspended
Omakolo, for alleged misappropriation of funds, gross insubordination and
consistent non-payment of party dues.
DAILY POST, however, gathered from reliable sources late
Friday that the governor has aligned himself with Omakolo and is actively
working to reverse his suspension.
According to sources, the governor no longer supports Agada
as the party chairman, aiming to replace him with Omakolo, the State Welfare
Secretary.
This became evident on Friday as a State High Court in
Makurdi restrained
Agada from parading himself as the chairman of the party.
This is in complete defiance of the National Working
Committee’s position that Agada remains the “bonafide” State Chairman.
The source told our reporter, “Things have really fallen
apart in the APC.
“The governor now sees Austin Agada as an obstacle to
his goal of sidelining Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of
the Federation and leader of Benue Politics.
“The agenda is to remove Agada and install Omakolo as the
acting State Chairman.
“In fact, as we speak, there are alleged underground plans
for the party executives in Igoro, Apa LGA, to openly deny authorizing the
suspension of the State Welfare Secretary, Omakolo.
“They are being lured to Government House to grant a press
conference to deny that they authored the suspension.”
This is coming barely 24 hours after an attack on Agada at
the party secretariat, during which he was whisked away by the police.
Joseph Akoh, a party member in Ogbadibo, expressed concern
about the challenges facing Agada within the party.
He noted that certain elders from Benue South appear to have
distanced themselves from Agada, describing it as regrettable.
Akoh lamented the potential consequences of removing Agada,
emphasizing his pivotal role in securing the state for the APC and winning
numerous seats in the recently concluded general elections.
“There are formidable forces working against Agada within our
party, and it’s a matter of concern. The abandonment by some Benue South elders
is truly regrettable.
“It’s disheartening to see Agada facing opposition from
various quarters within the party.
“The fact that certain elders have abandoned him is a cause
for concern,” he said.
However, another party source blamed Agada for his woes,
accusing him of disrespecting the governor.
“Whether you like it or not, Alia is the governor of Benue
State. But the party chairman has not hidden his disloyalty.
“If you are the governor, you won’t just sit by and watch the
chairman of your own party show such a level of disrespect to you,” the
concerned party member said in confidence.
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