A Benue State High Court has ruled in favor of reinstating Austin Agada and other elected officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, whose terms were prematurely cut short by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice Tertsegha Kume presided over a case brought by Agada and eight co-plaintiffs against the APC, seeking clarification on the legality of their removal without a proper hearing.
The plaintiffs claimed that their positions as party executives in Benue were terminated abruptly, and they wanted the court to rule on the legitimacy of such action. They argued that the NWC ignored specific articles in the APC Constitution, including Articles 12(11), 17(i), and 21.1, which outline the procedures for removing party executives.
Moreover, the plaintiffs contended that the NWC’s decision violated Section 223(2) of the Nigerian Constitution by denying them a fair hearing before their tenures were terminated.
They requested the court to order their reinstatement until their terms expire on February 2, 2026.
The APC’s counsel, Mr. Matthew Burkaa, argued that the court lacked jurisdiction over the matter, as it concerned the party’s internal affairs. However, the presiding judge rejected this argument and granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.
In his ruling, Justice Kume affirmed that the tenures of Agada and the other elected APC executives in Benue remain valid and in effect until the completion of their four-year terms.
