Wednesday, in Makurdi, the Court of Appeal upheld the Benue State High Court’s decision to invalidate the dissolution of the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Executive Committee, which Augustine Agada had been leading, as decreed by the NWC.
The APC’s appeal against the Makurdi High Court’s previous order by Justice T. A. Kume was rejected by the appellate court in its decision on Appeal No. CA/MKD/119/2024.
In the lead judgement delivered by the presiding justice, the court ruled that Augustine Agada and eight others were successful in resolving all five of the appellant’s claims while the APC were unsuccessful.
Additionally, the appellate court affirmed the lower court’s consequential order, which proclaimed that the Caretaker Committee’s acts, chaired by Benjamin Omale, were “null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”
Although he did not submit his own paperwork to the court, Benjamin Omale (the tenth respondent on the appeal) agreed with the APC’s arguments.
After the verdict, Agada urged party members to keep their cool and stick together, saying she had faith in the court system.
The decision effectively nullifies the caretaker committee that was previously formed by the national leadership of the APC in Benue State and significantly strengthens the validity of the APC State Executive Committee led by Agada in the state.