TEXT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE SENIOR SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO GOVERNOR HYACINTH ALIA OF BENUE STATE ON YOUTH MOBILIZATION & EMPOWERMENT, HON. MKEENEM MOSES FIMC, CMC, DECEMBER 2, 2023:

APC STATE CHAIRMAN, COMRADE AUSTIN AGADA, SHOULD RESIGN

Protocols.

Ladies and gentlemen of the press. Welcome to this important press conference on a very disturbing issue that is threatening the peace and security of Benue State.

The State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Austin Agada, had on November 30, 2023 mobilized the 23 LG chairmen of the party to protest against the appointment of LG Caretaker Committees simply because his preferred candidate in Ogbadibo local government area was not picked, note that person he nominated  for the position of vice chairman was not a party member and has no voters card. All the appointed local government caretaker committees are all qualified and registered members of our great party APC .

As leader of the party, Comrade Agada was supposed to use appropriate channels to seek redress even if he was aggrieved rather than resort to protest that will culminate into violence.

Recall that this same Comrade Agada had instigated crisis to mar the peaceful conduct of the speakership election of the 10th Benue Assembly, a misconduct he later apologized and promised not to repeat. But Agada is at it again. He has been interfering with all activities even when such issues are not related to politics and within his purview just to cause crisis.

The youth wing of Benue State therefore call on Comrade Austin Agada to step aside for lack of leadership qualities so that a competent person will takeover and pilot affairs of the party effectively in order to foster peace, progress and unity .

Again, the fallacy by the APC local government chairmen instigated by Agada that Governor Alia is not working with the party is also unfortunate and condemnable. The Governor has been working round the clock to build the broom party as demonstrated in the full support he rendered during the recent stakeholders meeting of the APC in the state.

Let it be on record that tangible projects are ongoing in Benue and the people are happy with Governor Hyacinth Alia who has been paying salaries and pension regularly and promptly since assumption of office. Agada is not a Deputy Governor of Benue State, he cannot be an alternative to the Governor and as such should he not be running a parallel administration.

Thank you all.