A Makurdi High Court, presided over by Justice Tertsea Kume, has nullified the Benjamin Omale-led seven-member caretaker committee overseeing the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The committee, inaugurated on August 21, 2024, by APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, was initially tasked with serving a six-month mandate following the dissolution of the Austin Agada-led State Working Committee (SWC).
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However, Mr. Agada and eight others challenged the dissolution in court, arguing that it violated provisions of the APC Constitution (2022 as amended) and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). They claimed their four-year tenure could not be terminated abruptly without fair hearing, as stipulated under Article 21:1 of the APC Constitution and Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution.
Delivering judgment, Justice Kume ruled that the dissolution of the Agada-led SWC failed to comply with established legal principles of fairness.
“The applicants were not granted fair hearing before their dissolution,” Justice Kume stated, adding, “Even God, the creator of Heaven and Earth, allowed Adam to explain himself before determining his fate in the Garden of Eden. Shouldn’t mortal beings uphold similar standards of justice?”
The court declared the Omale-led caretaker committee unconstitutional and voided all actions taken by it during its tenure.
In his reaction, Benjamin Omale, chairman of the dissolved committee, expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling and announced plans to appeal.
“We have serious concerns about the judgment and have instructed our legal team to appeal and seek a stay of execution,” he said. “While we respect the court’s decision, we believe the Court of Appeal will ensure justice is served.”
Omale urged APC members to remain calm, continue their political activities, and respect the rule of law as the appeal process unfolds.
