- Internal conflict arises as factions clash over primary elections, with the ousted Agada-led committee and Omale’s caretaker committee at odds
- Agada’s faction claims successful primaries, while Omale’s committee urges members to disregard them, intensifying the leadership struggle within the party
The internal crisis within the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has deepened as factions loyal to different party leaders clashed over the conduct of primary elections ahead of the local government polls. The conflict is between the ousted Austin Agada-led State Working Committee (SWC) and the newly appointed Caretaker Committee headed by Benjamin Omale.
The SWC, under Agada’s leadership, claimed to have successfully conducted primary elections on Saturday, August 24, 2024. However, the newly appointed caretaker committee, led by Omale, urged party members to disregard these elections. Omale’s committee was appointed following the dissolution of the existing executive committee by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC in Abuja. This dissolution was a response to the ongoing leadership tussle between supporters of the state governor, Hyacinth Alia, and those loyal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.
In response to the NWC’s intervention, Agada, a loyalist of Akume, sought a court injunction to prevent the national body from interfering with his committee until their tenure expires. Justice Theresa Igoche of the state high court in Makurdi granted the interim injunction, with the case adjourned to August 28, 2024, for further hearing.
Despite the controversy, Agada’s faction announced that it had elected 23 chairmanship and 276 councillorship candidates by consensus for the upcoming local government elections, tentatively scheduled for October 5, 2024. These primaries were reportedly conducted across all ward headquarters in the 23 local government areas of the state.
On the other hand, Omale, representing the Unity Caretaker Committee (UCC) of the APC in Benue State, dismissed Agada’s faction’s primaries. He announced that the party would begin selling forms for the local government elections on August 26, 2024, at the party’s State Secretariat in Makurdi.
This ongoing power struggle within the APC in Benue State continues to create uncertainty and tension ahead of the local government elections.