By Adem Francis, Makurdi
Benue Defenders, an independent security network has raised an alarm about plans by some politicians loyal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume to cause anarchy in the state with the planned illegal enforcement of Comrade Austin Agada as the state chairman of the All Progressive Congress in the state this weekend.
Recall that Austin Agada and members of the State Executive Council of the Benue State chapter of All Progressive Congress were last year removed from office by the Umar Ganduje-led National Working Committee as a result of the leadership tussle between the state governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia and Senator George Akume.
As a result of the removal, a Seven-man Unity Caretaker Committee led by Chief Benjamin Omale was inaugurated by the NWC and adopted by the Presidency and the Forum of the APC State Chairmen.
Meanwhile, a press statement by Austin Agada inviting local and international media to his public resumption as chairman of APC in Benue state despite his sack by the NWC last year emanated this evening where it was stated that he will be assuming duties alongside other members of the sacked State Executive Council at APC Secretariat located at High Level, Makurdi.
According to Agada in the statement, he is resuming as Benue APC chairman in compliance with the Benue State High Court judgment delivered on November 28, 2024, by Justice T.A. Kume.
Meanwhile, Benue Defenders in a statement issued to the press this night by its Commandant, Mr. Victor Apine disclosed that there is more to the illegal resumption of Agada and members of his dissolved Excos.
The group stated that there was a meeting in Abuja last night at the instance of the two APC senators, Titus Zam and Emmanuel Udende and the federal appointees from Benue state where they plotted to use Agada’s illegal return to office to cause tension and public unrest in Makurdi and also extend them to other parts of the state.
Benue Defenders also accused some security Chiefs of releasing their operatives to escort Agada to Benue state this weekend in order to cause anarchy with his planned illegal assumption of duties as Benue APC chairman despite that he was sacked by the NWC last year.
The group also expressed fears about plans to use the same security operatives to close down the state Secretariat of APC where the Unity Caretaker Committee led by Chief Benjamin Omale operates while protecting Agada and his team to operate illegally as the APC Excos in Benue state.
The statement reads in parts: “There plan is to bring Agada like a thief in the night to assume duties illegally as the state APC chairman while they will also use some heavily armed security agents to lock the state Secretariat where the UCC is operating knowing fully well that there will be series of attacks and counter attacks as a result of their actions.
“Once they successfully cause public unrest in Benue state, they will write the National Working Committee of APC to dissolve both Agada-led exco and the Unity Caretaker Committee led by Chief Omale. This will pave way for their plot that both camps should jointly nominate members for another seven-member Caretaker Committee which will pilot the affairs of the party pending the time a Congress will produce a substantive state EXCO.
“We are hereby calling on the attention of President Bola Tinubu, the National Working Committee of APC, the DG of DSS, the IGP and heads of other relevant security agencies in the country to the fact that Benue state is very peaceful but some elements who think they are fighting a political battle have plotted to illegally enforce a sacked chairman (Agada) and members of his dissolved Excos on the party in the state in order to cause public unrest.
“We also want the authorities to know those to call for questioning when these people finally cause a break down of law and order in the state with their planned enforcement of Agada on the Benue APC by the weekend”