Benue PDP Suspends Gabriel Suswam for Alleged Insubordination
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue has announced the suspension of Gabriel Suswam, former governor of the state, for alleged insubordination.
On August 7, the PDP called Suswam and four other individuals to answer charges of “anti-party activities.”
In a statement released on Thursday, Bemgba Iortyom, the PDP spokesperson for Benue, detailed that Terngu Tsegba, a former speaker of the state house of assembly; Richard Gbande, a former federal legislator; Terseer Tsumba, another former speaker; and Nicholas Ada, a professor, were also suspended. Additionally, local party chairs from several LGAs—including Apa, Gboko, Gwer-East, Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Logo, Otukpo, and Ukum—were suspended.
Iortyom stated that the affected individuals were summoned on August 7 to address allegations detrimental to the party’s interests. The accusations included “sponsoring the publication of internal party conflicts, initiating court cases against the party without utilizing internal resolution processes, among other issues.”
In Suswam’s case specifically, he was accused of acting as a spokesperson for APC Governor Hyacinth Alia, even while PDP’s gubernatorial candidate, Engr. Titus Uba, was contesting the election results in court. This was exemplified by Suswam’s public support for Alia during events such as the burial of late Akua Aper Aku.
The suspended members had been instructed to meet with the State Working Committee (SWC) at the party’s State Secretariat in Makurdi at 10 a.m. However, they did not comply and instead criticized the party’s authority publicly, which is a violation of PDP’s constitutional provisions.
As a result, the suspended members face a one-month suspension and are required to appear before the party’s disciplinary committee on a date to be announced. Iortyom called on party members to adhere to the party’s regulations and support its leadership during this period of upheaval.
