The end seems not in sight in the crisis rocking the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
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 Ehaje 1, Owukpa, who is now a Supervisory Councillor 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.
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.