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The Benue State High Court has issued a restraining order preventing the All Progressives Congress (APC) from removing Hon Augustine Agada, the chairman of the party's state chapter.
The ruling, delivered by Justice Theresa Igoche, is a crucial development in the midst of a deepening rift within the Benue APC.
The party is currently divided between factions loyal to Governor Hyacinth Alia and those aligned with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The court order, granted in response to an ex parte motion filed by Agada and eight others, explicitly bars the APC's National Working Committee (NWC) from terminating the tenure of Agada and the state's working committee members until their four-year term concludes.
Justice Igoche stated, "I am satisfied that the application has merit," before granting the relief sought by the plaintiffs.
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This ruling temporarily shields the Agada-led faction from efforts reportedly backed by Governor Alia to install a new leadership loyal to Benjamin Omakolo.
Agada, in a press conference at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, emphasised the fairness of the court's decision and expressed concerns over the Governor's camp's alleged attempts to dissolve the state committee prematurely.
The court has scheduled a hearing for the motion on notice on August 28th, leaving the party's internal power struggle unresolved but postponed for now.