From Attah Ede Makurdi

The Benue State Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Austin Agada has been suspended following allegation of anti party activities levelled against him.

Comrade Agada’s suspension is coming barely 24 hours after the National Reconciliation Committee from the party’s national secretariat met the state governor, Hyacinth Alia and the state leadership of the party in Makurdi on Tuesday.

The Executive Committee of the party in Ehaje Ward 1 Owukpa in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue state, where the embattled state chairman hails from, led by the ward chairman, Godwin Abah announced the suspension of the chairman yesterday.

The ward exco at a press conference in Makurdi, passed a no confidence vote on Agada and further imposed suspension on him for total disregard for the disciplinary committee set up to investigate allegations against him.

They said their action followed a petition by a party member and Senatorial Candidate in the 2023 general elections, Comrade Daniel Onjeh alleging anti party activities against Agada.

They said, “APC Ehaje Ward 1 in Owukpa of Ogbadibo received the petition by Comrade Dan Onjeh on the 23rd of January, 2024 and immediately based on our party constitution set up a disciplinary committee same day by the Ward Exco.

“This is in accordance with our party constitution powers vested in the Ward Exco pursuant to Article 13.14 sub section Vii and Article 21. 1 sub section 1 & ii.

“The APC Ehaje Ward 1 disciplinary committee having sat and invited Hon. Augustine Agada, the APC Benue State Chairman from January 24 to 29, 2024, who is a card-carrying party member of the ward, blatantly refused, ignored and disrespected the disciplinary committee by refusing to attend nor communicate back with the committee.

“The disciplinary committee having exhausted its patience, and based on the strength and irrefutable facts tendered in the petition with CTC of bank statement tendered, oral evidence given by party members in the ward, drew its conclusion and submitted its findings and report back to the APC Ehaje Ward 1 Expanded Exco.”

They said after reviewing the petition and subsequently finding merit in it, immediately passed a vote of No Confidence on Agada.

The Ward Exco said, “[We] found the State Party Chairman guilty of Anti-Party Activities in the ward and the Southern Senatorial District zone of Benue State (Zone C).

“That the State Party Chairman Comrade Augustine Agada Is found guilty of all charges brought before APC Ehaje Ward 1 in Owukpa and so has been suspended by the Ward where he is a member of the party.”

They urged Agada to stop parading himself as a member of the party in the ward and also as the Benue State Party Chairman in line with the party constitution as stipulated.

The eight Ward Exco members said Agada was found to have indulged in political malfeasance, embarrassment and disrepute.

The suspension they said was “To instill discipline and foster unity and generally to serve as a deterrent to would-be perpetrators of anti-party activities.

“This suspension takes immediate effect from today Wednesday 31st of January, 2024.”.

In his reaction, Agada said he still remains the chairman of APC in Benue state.

He said Godwin Abah is not his ward chairman but Peter Onoja, adding that Abah is the current supervisory councilor of works in the LG having been replaced in Dec. 2023.

He said Ward Exco are 27 in number and the document suspending him was signed by only eight people who were not officials of the party.

Agada who described his suspension as null and void urged the governor to use his office and wield the big stick and call them to order before they destroy the party and his administration by extension.

Curiously, this suspension came at a time that the reconciliation committee instituted by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party came and pronounced Governor Hyacinth Alia, as the only duly recognized leader of the party in  the state.

The reconciliation committee at the meeting, said they decided to clear the air following the leadership tussle between the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume and the governor of Benue State on who controls the party in the state.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the committee’s meeting, Governor Alia said he was happy that the leadership of the party took their time to come to the state to ensure the return of peace in the party.

He assured, “The meeting has resolved everything, putting to rest all the anxieties. The outcome of the meeting as it is, has brought happiness on the faces of the great men and women in the party, and the party is going to turn a new leaf, which suspends anything that was drawing us back.

“The state can now look forward to the gains the meeting will bring, especially with me as the governor and the SGF, Senator George Akume, at the federal level.”

Earlier, the Deputy National Secretary of APC, Festus Fuanter, who led the reconciliation team from the National Secretariat said they were in the state to ensure the return of peace in the party.

He described the meeting as one amongst many, which the NWC of APC has arranged for all the zones in the country to ensure there is absolute peace, especially in states where there appears to be internal wrangling.

Last night, a statement from the National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka said Agada remains the Benue State APC chairman.

It directed that all matters be set aside pending further review of the purported suspension of Agada by party executive in his Ehaje Ward 1, Owukpa, Ogbadibo Local Government Area of the state.

The statement therefore, said Agada remains a bonafide member and the chairman of the party in the state.