Benue APC Crisis: Court sets aside order restraining Agada from APC chairmanship

Austin Agada 

By Abdul Yakubu

The Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese on Monday, set aside an interim order restraining Austin Agada from parading himself as the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State.

Justice Maurice Ikpambese ruled that the Restraining Order was granted in error as the judge did not have the jurisdiction to have given the interim injunction, seeing that the matter was not assigned by the State Chief Judge or a superior Judge.

The court also held that the Interim Order restraining Agada as State Chairman of the APC, Benue State Chapter was set aside since it lapsed after seven days as stipulated by the Rules of the Court and all actions taken thereafter were nullified.

Justice Ikpambese is to assign the case to another Judge who will hear the matter on the merits.

TNEN-News recalls that Agada was suspended by his Ehaje Ward 1 EXCO for anti-party activities and subsequently, an Aliade High Court in Benue State restrained him from parading himself as the state chairman of the APC.

Since nature abhors vacuum the Benue APC under the leadership of Gov Hyacinth Alia was presented with a new acting chairman, Benjamin Makolo by party members to replace the suspended Agada.

The state secretariat of the party has been sealed by security agencies since the ouster of Agada as state chairman of APC and the selection of Makolo as the acting state chairman of the party.