Benue: Court restrains APC from swearing in State chairman, Treasurer, Asst. Secretary elect

From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

A High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State has restrained the All Progressives Congress (APC) from swearing in the newly elected party chairman elect, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary.

It wpuld be recalled that controversy had rocked the party since the conduct of its state congress which was held in October, 2021.

The congress threw up Augustine Agada as chairman elect, Hassan Mohammed Treasurer and Musa Alechenu as Assistant Secretary, a development which did not go down well with some leaders of the party from the Benue South Senatorial District as well as some contestants.

Based on the foregoing, an aspirant for the chairmanship seat, Matthew Omale who was allegedly chosen as the consensus candidate from the District where the seat was zoned to objected to the election on the ground that the congress did not align with the will of the people.

Omale then approached the court for a redress and in an originating suit no MHC/14/2022 and notification of the pending of suit and motion for stay of execution, he secured on Tuesday through his legal counsel, AOF Philip Esq. from JJ Usman SAN and Co chamber.

The suit which was addressed to the Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the Party, restrained APC from swearing in the trio of chairman, treasurer and assistant secretary.

The originating suit which read in part, "Our Clients who were the adopted Consensus candidates for the Chairman,
Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of the APC in Benue State were supposed to
 be so recognise by the Electoral Committee that conducted the State Congress  in Benue State on 16th October, 2021. Contrary to the will of the people.

"The 
Electoral Committee did not do so  but proceeded with the election and purportedly  declared Augustine  Agada, Hassan Mohammed and Musa  O. 
Alechenu  elected as Chairman, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of the APC in Benue State.

"Our Clients filed their appeals/petitions before the Appeal Committee which heard the parties involved and declared Our Clients as the elected Chairman, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of the APC, Benue

"A copy of the Appeal Committee Report is annexed herewith and marked as ANNEXURE "A" for ease of reference. Our Clients further informed us that despite Annexure "A", the APC refuses to recognise them, therefore, they filed a suit via an Originating Summons and a Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction restraining the APC from swearing-in Augustine  Agada, Hassan Mohammed and Musa O. Alechenu as elected Chairman, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of the APC, Benue State.

"In view of the above premises, we humbly urge you as a matter of respect to the court to hold on by not swearing-in the trio of AUGUSTINE AGADA, HASSAN MOHAMMED and MUSA O. ALECHENU as Chairman, Treasurer
and Assistant Secretary of the APC, Benue State pending the determination of the Motion on Notice or the Suit or not taking any step that will foist a state of fait accompli on the Court and also allow the High Court to decide our Motion.