…We shall proceed to Appeal Court, says Omale’s faction

A Makurdi High Court presided over by Honourable Justice T A Kume yesterday declared illegal the seven-man caretaker committee of the APC in Benue state.

The action of the court followed a suit initiated by the Austin Agada-led faction challenging the dissolution of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party by the NWC and the installation of the Dr Benjamin Omale-led unity
faction.

Justice T. A. Kume in his ruling held that the purported dissolution of the Austin Agada led-exco was not in accordance with the constitution of the party, noting that the action of the National Working Committee of the party equally amounted to a gross violation of the rights of fair hearing of the applicants.

According to a statement by Daniel Ihomun, the party’s State Publicity Secretary APC the state, quoted Justice Kume as saying proverbially that “Even in the Garden of Eden, God exemplified the importance of fair hearing by asking questions before taking action against Adam”.

“In stark contrast, the National Working Committee denied Agada a fair hearing. It begs the question: Shouldn’t the committee, as mortal beings, strive to uphold the same standards of justice and fairness demonstrated by God”.

Consequentially, the court held that “all actions carried out by the seven-man caretaker committee appointed by the National Secretariat to act in place of the Austin Agada-led SWC amounted to a nullity.

But in a swift reaction to the court’s verdict, the Omale faction vowed to appeal against the judgement.

The Unity chairman said, “We have serious concerns about the judgment and have instructed our legal team to immediately appeal the judgment and seek for a stay of execution on the said judgment which we find appalling, legally unjustified and we feel that the Court of Appeal will ensure justice is served.

Dr Omale called on his supporters “to be calm, law-abiding and go about their political activities without worries as the status quo remains until the Superior Courts speak on the issue”.

He said his “committee will work assiduously within the four corners of the law for our party as we exercise our constitutional rights of appeal and abide by all orders of the court”.