BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Former Governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam, has officially joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) just hours after resigning his membership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Suswam, who took the decision to dump the PDP on Wednesday, 4th February 2026, had cited the protracted internal conflicts rocking the party.
Speaking with reporters after picking his APC’s membership card at Mbagber Council Ward in Logo Local Government Area of the state, Senator Suswam urged all his supporters to register for the party immediately.
Furthermore, he called on the people of Benue State to support Governor Hyacinth Alia to fulfill his mandate and deliver good governance to them.
According to him, a formal reception ceremony would be held for him and his supporters at a later date, even as reports indicated that the Organising Secretary of APC in Benue, Mr James Ornguga, presented the membership card to Suswam on behalf the Party’s State chairman.
Interestingly, Suswam’s defection and full alignment with the APC effectively ends his association and coordination of activities for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state which began last year.
Meanwhile, in his letter of resignation, Suswan while blaming persistent and unresolved internal conflicts within the party as the reason for quitting, said; “Despite repeated interventions, reconciliatory committees, and public assurances, the party continues to operate in a state of deep internal dysfunction.”
The letter partly read; “I believe that political parties must serve as platforms for ideas, discipline, and constructive engagement, not arenas of endless internal warfare. Regrettably, the current state of affairs within the PDP no longer aligns with these ideals. I therefore consider it honourable and necessary to step aside, while wishing the party well, should it one day find the courage to resolve its longstanding contradictions.”
“The party that once stood as a symbol of cohesion, internal democracy and progressive opposition has, regrettably, become plagued by persistent and unresolved internal conflicts. These disputes, spanning leadership, structure, discipline and ideology, have been allowed to fester without any clear or credible pathway to resolution.”
The former governor, while expressing gratitude for the opportunities provided him by PDP, said: “This decision has not been taken lightly. For decades, the PDP provided me with a platform to serve the Nigerian people in various capacities: as a member of the House of Representatives, as Governor of Benue State and as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
“For these opportunities and the trust reposed in me at different times, I remain sincerely grateful,” the former lawmaker, who represented Benue North East Senatorial District in the National Assembly between 2019 and 2023, said.
A founding member of PDP, whose association with the party lasted for about 27 years, the two-term Benue governor’s defection to APC has been described as a significant political move by commentators ahead of the 2027.
