High Court has ruled to dismiss the Benjamin Omale-led Seven-member Caretaker Committee, which had been overseeing the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The committee was appointed on August 21, 2024, following the dissolution of the Austin Agada-led State Working Committee (SWC) by the APC National Working Committee (NWC).
The dissolved SWC, led by Agada, had filed a suit against the APC and the Omale-led committee, challenging the dissolution. The suit argued that their tenure could not be terminated abruptly before the expiration of their four-year term without due process, as stipulated in the APC constitution and the Nigerian Constitution.
In his ruling, Justice Tertsea Kume stated that the dissolution of the Agada-led SWC did not adhere to the provisions of Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution or Article 21:1 of the APC constitution, particularly in relation to the applicants' right to a fair hearing. He emphasized the importance of fairness and due process, citing that even in divine matters, such as the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, justice and fairness were upheld before any decisions were made. Justice Kume concluded that the dissolution was unconstitutional and declared the Omale-led committee and its actions null and void.
In response, Benjamin Omale, Chairman of the dissolved committee, expressed his dissatisfaction with the judgment, stating that the committee would appeal the decision at the Court of Appeal. He urged APC members in the state to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that the committee would continue to work within the law while pursuing an appeal.
The APC also filed an appeal at the Makurdi Division of the Court of Appeal, challenging the ruling and seeking a stay of execution. The party requested a restraining order to prevent the enforcement of the judgment pending the determination of the appeal. In the meantime, Omale called for party supporters to continue their activities without disruption, as the legal process unfolds.
