Rita Odafe
Gabriel Suswam
Former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, has confirmed his candidacy for the position of national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This announcement was made during an urgent stakeholders gathering in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, on Thursday.
Suswam stressed that it was appropriate for the North Central to nominate a replacement for former chairman Iyochia Ayu, following the party’s established rules.
He mentioned receiving support from party members in the state and asserted that the decision on his successor would come from national party leaders rather than through an electoral process.
Addressing rumors of discord within the state’s party chapters, Suswam indicated that some individuals were trying to manipulate situations to gain control over the party.
He attributed the party’s failure in the 2023 gubernatorial elections to the actions of these individuals, emphasizing the need to resist their influence.
“Certain individuals aim to deceive us to take control over the party’s operations in the state,” he stated.
“Their behaviors were responsible for our significant loss in the recent elections, and we must come together to prevent them from succeeding again.
“What they have enjoyed is merely a temporary success as it cannot lead to any constructive outcome.
“We can only rely on the ward congress that was sincerely held across 15 LGAs in the state,” concluded Suswam.
