The crisis currently rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State took a bloody dimension yesterday after the state’s chairman, Comrade Abba Yaro reportedly led some group of political thugs to attack party chieftains during a meeting in Makurdi, the State capital.
DAILY POST gathered that problem ensued on Monday, during a meeting held at Monatel Hotel, Makurdi, to resolve the issue of appointments in Ogbadibo.
It was learnt that apart from the Deputy Governor, others at the meeting were Tony Odo, the Ogbadibo Local Government Campaign Coordinator for Ortom/Abounu and Chief Johnson Agada, the APC Leader of the same local government.
Comrade Yaro is a native of Ogbadibo.
It was gathered that Chief Agada and other party leaders had insisted that in the interest of justice and equity, it was the turn of Orokam District to produce the Caretaker Chairman, and more so, the district gave APC 100 percent.
Orokam and Owukpa had previously produced caretaker chairman of the local government.
However, this opinion did not go down well with Yaro, who argued that his candidate, Benson Audu was the best man for the job.
He claimed that the Governor had given him the complete control of the council as compensation for his role in the Party’s victory.
An eyewitness told our correspondent that shortly after the Deputy Governor had left the hotel, Abba Yaro, the State APC Chairman, who got wind of the meeting, stormed the hotel about 11.30pm with 6 thugs who beat up Tony Odo mercilessly, upon citing him.
“He severally asked of the whereabouts of Chief Johnson Agada, before he broke a plastic chair on the head of his candidate’s opponent, Tony Odo and he subsequently ordered his boys to stab him on his ear.
“Agada narrowly escaped the attack after which he put a call across to the Deputy Governor to report the incident.
“The victim was taken to a hospital in Makurdi where doctors are battling to save his life”, the source hinted.
Speaking further, the eyewitness said, all memebers present at the meeting were shocked beyond words at the conduct of the APC Chairman, Yaro.
“Honestly, Yaro got himself practically involved in thuggery as he was itching to fight but was successfully restrained by the APC Zonal Chairman for Benue South (Zone C) Murtala Mohammed, who accompanied him”, he added.
When DAILY POST contacted Agada, APC leader in Ogbadibo, he confirmed the ugly incident, saying that Yaro had even at a recent caucus meeting in Ogbadibo averred that the local government belonged to him.
His words, “I’m not surprised because he had vowed to deal ruthlessly with anyone who opposes his choice of caretaker Chairman, Benson Audu from Otukpa District. His insistence on Audu and willingness to destroy the party is not based on justice, equity or merit but personal aggrandizement.
“He came because of me but when I heard what was going on, I refused to come out of my hotel hotel room. I heard him shouting ‘where is Agada’, before he ordered his boy to cut off one of Odo’s ears and they left the scene”.
Another party member who does not want his name in print confirmed the incident, said Yaro had always operated with the highest level of impunity.
“He moves around with a team of Police who have thugs embedded.
“At the Kangaroo stakeholders meeting he organized recently in Ogbadibo, he used the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to intimidate his opponents out of the venue.
“His continued stay in office as State Party Chairman will cost the party and the state dearly. He has never been an asset but a great liability”, he said.
When this reporter contacted the Benue State Police Command, on Tuesday, the police authorities, however, denied knowledge of the incident.
However, when contacted, Abba Yaro said he was in Abuja at the time the said incident occurred.
He added that it was lies concocted by some persons to rubbish his hard earned name and reputation.
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