Abuja-based legal practitioner and public affairs analyst, Edward Akum Ejor, has strongly criticized certain leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State for what he describes as a blatant violation of the party’s constitution. He accused them of unlawfully dissolving the State Executive Committee led by Augustine Agada, calling the move an act of bad faith and a serious breach of the rule of law.
Ejor pointed out that the Agada-led committee was validly elected on February 3, 2022, with a four-year tenure extending to February 2, 2026. He argued that a subsisting order from the Federal High Court, which has not been overturned, prohibits any dissolution until the tenure expires. Therefore, the so-called dissolution is null and void, and any actions taken by the caretaker committee are illegitimate from the start.
The lawyer emphasized that the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) lacks the constitutional authority to appoint a caretaker committee. According to him, only the National Executive Committee (NEC) possesses that power under Article 13.3(B) of the party’s constitution. He asserted that the NWC’s action is a clear overreach and an illegality.
Ejor further noted that a competent court has already declared the dissolution illegal and invalidated the caretaker committee’s activities. He warned that the continued defiance of both the party constitution and court rulings could exacerbate the internal crisis within the Benue APC and damage the party’s chances in future elections.
Drawing a stark parallel to the 2019 Zamfara State APC crisis, Ejor cautioned that similar constitutional missteps could lead to devastating consequences. In Zamfara, the Supreme Court nullified all APC candidacies due to the party’s failure to conduct valid primaries, resulting in the loss of the governorship, National Assembly, and State Assembly seats. Ejor stressed that Benue APC leaders must learn from this precedent and avoid actions that could trigger avoidable legal and political turmoil.
Ejor concluded with a reminder: “The law must be respected. You cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand.”