The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State has suspended Senator Barnabas Gemade and Prof. Terhemba Shija, along with three ward chairmen, for engaging in anti-party activities. The suspension was announced by the State Chairman of the Party, Comrade Austin Agada, during the Party’s expanded stakeholders meeting in Makurdi.
Senator Gemade and Prof. Shija were both governorship aspirants of the Party in the just concluded 2023 elections. The State Chairman accused them of working with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue to ensure that the APC did not have a candidate following their rejection by the people at the primaries. He stated that the duo had worked against the Party to prevent it from having a governorship candidate in the election.
Furthermore, Agada claimed that the suspended duo had been conniving with the PDP to frustrate the governor-elect, while Prof. Shija had taken the Party to court at the highest level. He emphasized that their suspension would be referred to the fact-finding and disciplinary committee for further actions.
The decision to suspend the ward chairmen is also based on allegations of anti-party activities. The APC Benue State branch is determined to uphold discipline and ensure that its members adhere to the Party’s rules and regulations.