Benue PDP suspends Gabriel Suswam for ‘insubordination’

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue has suspended Gabriel Suswam, a former governor of the state, for alleged insubordination.

On August 7, the PDP summoned Suswam and four others over alleged “anti-party activities”.

In a statement on Thursday, Bemgba Iortyom, Benue PDP spokesperson, said Terngu Tsegba, a former speaker of the Benue house of assembly; Richard Gbande, a former federal lawmaker; Terseer Tsumba, a former speaker; and Nicholas Ada, a professor; were also suspended.

Iortyom said the LG party chairmen of Apa, Gboko, Gwer-East, Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Logo, Otukpo and Ukum were also suspended.

“Recall that the party had summoned the affected persons yesterday, 7th August, 2024, to appear before the State Working Committee (SWC) to answer to allegations made against them bordering on acts inimical to the good health and interests of the party,” the statement reads.

The Benue PDP spokesperson said the other offences include “sponsoring of publication of internal party disputes, sponsoring of court litigations against the party without recourse to the internal dispute resolution mechanisms, among several other things”.

“In the particular case of Senator Suswam, he was also accused of being a spokesperson and errand runner to APC’s governor Hyacinth Alia to the extent that even when the PDP governorship candidate, Engr. Titus Uba, was still in court challenging the outcome of the election, Suswam was going about drumming support for the governor at public functions, with specific reference made to his speech at the burial of late Akua Aper Aku,” he said.

“The affected persons were required to appear before the SWC today at the party’s State Secretariat on No. 1, Ochagwu Lawani Street, New GRA in Makurdi by 10am, the aim of their summons being to interact with them at a preliminary level and possibly avoid the need to take disciplinary action against them.”

He said the senator and other members involved refused to appear before the SWC when summoned, adding that “some of them took to the public space to pour scorn on the party’s constituted authority”.

He said their action contravenes section 58 of the constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) .

“They have been suspended from the party for a period of one (1) month, and are hereby directed to appear before the disciplinary committee of the party at a date, venue and time to be communicated to them by the committee,” the statement added.

Iortyom urged members of the party to stay law-abiding and support the party’s leadership as it navigates current challenges.