The ruling All Progressives Congress has read the riot acts to the new caretaker committee set up to take over the affairs of Benue APC, warning that its mandate does not include the dissolution of local government and ward executives.
The warning was issued at a meeting of the APC National Working Committee and the seven-man committee at the party secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday.
The newly installed committee, which has Benjamin Omale and Prof Bem Angwe as the chairman and secretary respectively, was saddled with the task of running the party administration at the state level for six months after the dissolution of the Austin Agada-led executives last Wednesday.
Other members include Richard Mzungweve, James Ornguga, Terhemen Ngbea, Helen Agaigbe, and Ali Francis Adah.
Addressing newsmen after their meeting, the Deputy National Women Leader, Hajia Zainab Ibrahim said the need to read the riot acts became necessary following unconfirmed reports that the new committee has started calling dissolution of party structure at the local government and ward levels.
She said, “This evening, the National Working Committee of our great party met with the newly formed caretaker committee to administer the affairs of APC in Benue State for six months. This call was a result of complaints from Benue that the committee had dissolved some local government party executives. This made the NWC summon the seven-man caretaker committee to read to them their ‘Terms of Reference.’
“Their terms of reference as stated by the APC is to administer the party in Benue State for six months and also to conduct the election for the forthcoming local government elections. It is also part of their mandate to constitute the logistics that will conduct the elections from the LG to the ward level. And this has been clearly stated to them.
“They have no business, of course, dissolving any executives. Their terms of reference have been clearly stated and they have been asked not to go beyond their terms of reference.”
The PUNCH journalist, Adebayo, has over 20 years of experience covering politics, health, metro, entertainment and properties
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