APC support group urges Tinubu, Ganduje to wade into Benue crisis
…says opposition using Benue Chief Judge against Alia, Tinubu
By Tom Okpe
As the judiciary crisis in Benue State lingers, the National leadership of ‘All support groups of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC,’ has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Party National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to urgently wade in, to avoid pending danger in the nation’s Democratic set up.
The APC support groups also raised the alarm that opposition political Parties may hijack the crisis, to frustrate performance of APC Government in the State, targeting President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Addressing a press conference, at the National Secretariat of the Party, Buhari House, Abuja on Thursday, the support groups, led by its Director General, Dr A k Peters, insisted that the decision of the National Working Committee, NWC and National Executive Committee, NEC of the Party, must be respected by all Party members.
Recall that the NWC had acted on the powers of the National Executive Committee, NEC, disolved its Benue State Executives led by Austin Agada, and constituted a unity caretakers Committee in February 2024, bringing to an end, the waring factions within the Party in Benue state.
However, the former State Chairman, went to Court, challenging decision of the NEC over the desolation of Benue State chapter and inauguration of the unity Caretaker Committee.
While reacting to the development, the support groups leader, Dr Peter said: “As the forum of support group leaders, we are disappointed that the former Chairman went to Court to challenge the Party against the Party’s constitution, which states that members must exhaust all internal mechanism to resolve an issue before going to the Court.
“We call on the National leadership of the Party, President Tinubu and Dr Ganduje to immediately, wade in to the pending danger and threat to democracy in Benue State.
“We understand that the ongoing crisis in the State, is as a result of decision of the NWC, acting on the powers of NEC, which changed leadership of the Party in Benue State and the Party must wade in to defend its decision by maintaining Party supremacy as enshrined in our constitution.
“We strongly observe that the Benue State Chief Judge is being used by the opposition not only to frustrate our performing Government in Benue, but also a direct attack on our amiable President Tinubu, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Therefore, our Party leadership and the Presidency must take a stand now, before some anti-democratic forces and enemies of our Party hijack the ongoing evil plot.
“We insist that Mr President must save democracy as decision of the NWC and NEC, must be respected by all Party faithful.
“We also, stand by decision of the Party and the confidence reposed on Mr President and our National Chairman at the just concluded NEC of our party.”
While condemning actions of the Benue State Chief Judge, the APC support groups said: “We have it in good authority that the Chief Judge of Benue State has relocated the Benue State Local Government Elections Petition Tribunal from Makurdi to Abuja after granting a waver to the petitioners not to pay security deposit as required by law, citing hardship in the land.
There is no section of the Constitution or laws of Benue State that empowers the Chief Judge to grant waver to the petitioners, or move a Local Government Tribunal, from State of its jurisdiction to Abuja.
“The Chief Judge in his circular, cited security reason, meanwhile he has been going to his office amidst his purported removal by the Benue State House of Assembly without security threat.
“Lawyers have started arguing that any decision taken by the tribunal in Abuja is null and void as an election conducted by the State Independent Electoral Commission, can only be entertained in the State.
“The Chief Judge, who acted altra vires when he favoured the petitioners whose petition were to be dismissed also emphasised on hardship in the land in a bid to blackmail President Tinubu’s administration while protecting the petitioners.
“The question is between the relocation of the tribunal which means transporting and accommodating lawyers, and witnesses to Abuja and the security posit to be paid in to the court, which is more a burden to the people?
“It is now clear that there is an attempt to truly undermine the Party’s National leadership and President Tinubu by the Benue State Chief Judge who has abandoned justice for trivial sentiment.”
