Benue APC management disaster deepens as Omale, Agada commerce accusations

The management disaster throughout the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has resurfaced following the presence of former chairman Austin Agada at a current nationwide celebration assembly in Abuja the place nationwide chairman, Abdullah Ganduje was.

Reacting to Agada’s presence on the APC nationwide assembly, the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr Benjamin Omale, in an announcement issued on Thursday, accused Agada of gatecrashing the occasion for publicity.

He additionally described Agada as an “imposter” who engaged in a “sneak and snap present” to create a misunderstanding of legitimacy.

The APC in Benue has been embroiled in an influence wrestle between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.

In response, the celebration’s nationwide management dissolved the Agada-led state working committee and put in a caretaker committee led by Omale.

Nonetheless, Agada challenged the choice within the Benue State Excessive Courtroom, which reinstated him as chairman.

Regardless of the courtroom ruling, Omale and his committee proceed to run the celebration’s affairs.

“Austin Agada now makes a speciality of sneaking anyplace the APC Nationwide Chairman, Alhaji Ganduje, is holding conferences, standing behind him for a snapshot, and departing instantly,” Omale said.

He insisted that Agada was not the celebration’s chairman, emphasizing that since his removing, the caretaker committee had led the celebration to a landslide victory within the October 5, 2024, native authorities elections.

“It’s deeply regarding and misleading that Austin Agada has continued to parade himself because the Chairman of APC Benue State, regardless of his removing,” Omale stated.

Dismissing claims of Agada’s participation within the February 11 assembly, Omale asserted: “The newest in his sequence of deceptive antics is his declare of attending a strategic assembly with the APC Nationwide Management and North Central Governors.

“We want to categorically state that Austin Agada was neither invited nor was there any assembly convened that warranted his presence.”

Omale additional alleged that Agada “took images and is now utilizing them to mislead the general public.”

He assured celebration members that the nationwide management had been notified and measures have been being taken to stop such occurrences sooner or later.

In a swift response, Agada refuted Omale’s claims, insisting that he stays the duly elected chairman and was formally invited to the Abuja assembly.

A press release issued by the Agada-led faction’s Publicity Secretary, Daniel Ihomun, said: “Relating to the alleged attendance of a gathering on the Nationwide stage in Abuja, we want to state unequivocally that the Chairman was duly invited and took part within the assembly in his capability because the professional State Chairman of the APC Benue State.

“The insinuation that he attended with out an invite shouldn’t be solely false but additionally a deliberate try to tarnish his repute and undermine his management.”

Ihomun additional dismissed Omale’s place, arguing that he’s not a recognised member of the celebration in Benue.

“The celebration needs to state clearly with out ambiguity that Benjamin Omale shouldn’t be a member of the celebration in Benue State, as his title shouldn’t be within the register of Onyagede-Ihaje Ward in Ohimini Native Authorities Space.

“That Workplace of Unity Committee Chairman is an unknown place within the celebration and doesn’t exist within the APC Structure 2022 as Amended,” the assertion added.