Aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, have dragged the party, and its caretaker committee chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni, to court seeking dissolution of the 13-member committee and nullification of all their actions.

In the suit filed at a Federal High Court, Abuja, the plaintiffs also listed the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and others as co-defendant in the originating summon with suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/938/2021.

The plaintiffs through their lawyer, Mr Samuel E. Irabor, in the suit dated, 18th August, 2021 prayed the court to dissolve the APC Caretaker Committee on the following grounds.

That the 13 members caretaker committee fall short of the constitutionally required 24 members spread across not less than two-third of the 36 States and the FCT for any governing body of a political party, whether substantive or acting, as stipulated under Section 223(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as altered).

“That the headship of the caretaker committee by a sitting governor holding dual executive offices is prohibited by Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 17(4) of the APC Constitution, 2014 (as amended)

“That by Article 13(4)(xvi) of the APC Constitution, 2014 (as amended) only the National Working Committee rather than the NEC of the party can constitute a Caretaker Committee in whatever form, nature or guise.

That the attorney general of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, who administered oath of office on Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State as purported caretaker chairman lacks the powers to do so under any provision of the APC Constitution, 2014 (as amended) as he is neither a member of the National Working Committee or even a member of the NEC of the APC.

The row over the status of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention (CECPC) of the APC has for a while threatened the fragile peace within the ruling party.