The All Progressives Congress (APC) has directed its members to withdraw all court cases within seven days or risk expulsion from the party.
Sen. Surajudeen Basiru, the party’s National Secretary, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
Basiru said that the decision was taken at the meeting of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) with the Benue stakeholders.
- 17-year-old girl stabs foster mother to death in Akure
- FULL LIST: FG releases names, BDCs sponsoring terrorists
“That failure to comply with this resolution will result in disciplinary action taken against any member responsible for such suits, including immediate suspension and ultimately expulsion from the party.
“It is crucial that all members of the APC Benue chapter adhere to this directive promptly,” he said.
He said that the unity and integrity of the party must be upheld in its state chapters, adding that resolving legal matters internally was paramount to maintaining cohesion and focus.
The warning is coming on the heel of an alleged cold war between the camp of the state governor, Hyacinth Alia; and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
The face-off between the two political leaders was said to have torn the party apart in the state.
The party is in turmoil, with the state governor, his cabinet and supporters pitted against the APC structure led by state Chairman, Austin Agada.
The Agada-led state working committee is loyal to Senator Akume.
The crisis, recently, assumed dangerous dimensions as the party opened a factional secretariat.
Agada was purportedly removed as the party chairman by his Ehaje council ward and subsequently restrained from parading himself as party chairman.
Following the court injunctions, the state executive committee of the party led by the governor thereafter appointed Benjamin Omakolo as the acting party chairman.
But Omakolo was later sacked by the Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpampese, after vacating the order restraining Agada.
While the party secretariat located at J.S. Tarka Road is being occupied by the Agada-led state working committee, the factional office opened by the Omakolo-led team is located close to the government house, Makurdi.
