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- I remain chairman, Agada fires back
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
A fresh crisis seems to be brewing in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State as the party chairman, Austin Agada, has been suspended.
He was suspended on Wednesday by eight members of his ward EXCO, in the APC Ehaje Ward 1 Owukpa-Party EXCO of Ogbadibo Local Government Area, (LGA), of Benue State, led by the chairman Godwin Abah.
The ward EXCO, at a press conference, in Makurdi, passed a no confidence vote on the party chairman and further slammed him with a suspension for total disregard to the disciplinary committee set to investigate allegations levelled against him..
They said their action followed a petition by a party member and Senatorial Candidate in the 2023 general election, Comrade Daniel Onjeh alleging anti party activities.
They said the “APC Ehaje Ward 1 in Owukpa of Ogbadibo received the petition by Comrade Dan Onjeh on the 23rd of January, 2024 and immediately base on our party constitution set-up a disciplinary committee same day by the Ward Exco.
“This is in accordance with our party constitution powers vested in the Ward Exco pursuant to Article 13.14 sub section Vii and Article 21. 1 sub section 1 & ii.
“The APC Ehaje Ward 1 disciplinary committee having sat and invited Hon. Augustine Agada, the APC Benue State Chairman from January 24 to 29, 2024, who is a card-carrying party member of the ward, blatantly refused, ignored and disrespected the disciplinary committee by refusing to attend nor communicate back with the committee.
“The disciplinary committee having exhausted its patience, and based on the strength and irrefutable facts tendered in the petition with CTC of bank statement tendered, oral evidence given by party members in the ward, drew its conclusion and submitted its findings and report back to the APC Ehaje Ward 1 Expanded Exco.”
They said after reviewing the petition and subsequently found merit in it, “APC Ehaje Ward 1 expanded exco which he, Agada is a member, immediately passed a vote of No Confidence on Augustine Agada, the APC Benue State Chairman base on Article 17 sub-section V and Vi as a member of the expanded exco of the ward.
“Found the State Party Chairman guilty of ‘’Anti-Party’’ Activities in the ward and the Southern Senatorial District zone of Benue State (Zone C).
“That the State Party Chairman Comrade Augustine Agada Is found guilty of all charges brought before APC Ehaje Ward | in Owukpa and so has been suspended by the Ward where he is a member of the party.”
They urged Agada to stop parading himself as a member of the party in the ward and also as the Benue State Party Chairman inline with the party constitution as stipulated.
The eight Ward Exco members and Disciplinary Committee members of APC Ehaje Ward 1 in Owukpa of Ogbadibo LGA said they made the resolution to save the APC in the Ward from total implosion due to “Comrade Augustine Agada’s political malfeasance, embarrassment and disrepute.
“To instill discipline and foster unity and generally to serve as a deterrent to would-be perpetrators of anti-party activities, this Suspension takes immediate effect from today Wednesday 31st of January, 2024,” they said.
In a swift reaction, Comrade Austin Agada said he still remains the chairman of APC in Benue state.
Agada said Godwin Abah is not his ward Chairman but Peter Onoja adding that Abah is the current supervisory councilors of works in the LG having being replaced in December 2023.
He said ward EXCO are 27 in number and the document suspending him was signed by only eight people who were not officials of the party.
Agada who described his suspension as null and void urged the Governor to use his office and wield the big stick and call them to order before they destroy the party and his administration by extension.
