Benue PDP crisis deepens, as group asks Suswam to resign

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State has deepened, as the party stakeholders known as G14  have informed the former governor of the state, Senator Gabriel Suswam, to resign his membership if he so desired.

The G14 was formed in 2015 and comprises PDP elders in the 14 local government areas of the Tiv ethnic block in the state with the former governor, Gabriel Suswam being a co-chairman of the group.

The former governor had at a party stakeholders meeting held in Makurdi within the week announced that he had disbanded the group and promised to replace it with another group to be known as caucus members of the party with its members to cut across the state.

The decision of the former governor to disband the G14 may not be unconnected with the crisis of supremacy between him and his successor, Samuel Ortom, over who controls the party in the state which started during the ward congress.

Since Ortom left office in 2023, he has assumed the co-chairman of the G14.

Responding to Suswam’s announcement, the chairman of G14, Laha Dzever, said the group is a voluntary, non-statutory body functioning in the PDP, aimed to complement the work of the statutory organs of the party towards fostering unity, harmony and its continual growth.

In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by Dzever, and entitled ‘G-14 Remains Intact and Committed to PDP’ read, “G14, by its nature and formative history, is not in the ownership of any individual and thus cannot be so disbanded as Senator Suswam claimed to have done.

“Sen. Suswam as a member of the G-14 can only resign his membership if he so desires but has no locus standi whatsoever to disband it.”

Narrating how the group was birthed, Dzever said, “When the PDP lost the Governorship and Benue North East and North West Senatorial seats in 2015, the party was virtually in disarray. It was then that a group of elders led by Hon. Elder Ugba Uye in their wisdom formed the G-14 to save the Party from eventual disintegration. Sen. Suwam was also invited to join the group which he gladly obliged.

“That as is the established tradition, the Co-Chairmanship status of the group rightly fell on His Excellency, Chief Samuel Ortom when he emerged as Leader of the PDP in 2018, and Chief Ortom remains the Leader of PDP in Benue State and has since functioned in that capacity with utmost sense of responsibility and statesmanship.

“This remains to date the leadership structure operational in G-14 and the status of the group remains unchanged as a voluntary group of party elders drawn from the 14 local government areas of the Benue North-East (Zone ‘A’) and Benue NorthWest (Zone ‘B’). As elder statesmen and women of integrity in the PDP, we are mindful of the unfortunate circumstances of the crises which have fallen to a lot of our dear great party, PDP, lately, and do see a need now, as we saw in 2015 when we lost the Governorship and two Senate seats to the APC.

“The G-14 stood firmly and worked tirelessly and brought PDP back to power in 2019. The G-14 would therefore not relent in its efforts in rebuilding the party to reclaim power in 2027. It is our strong desire to continue to strengthen the common bonds which hold us together as a political family. We will at all times, tow the path of peace and oneness of purpose in the party. We are aware of Senator Suswam’s contributions to this great party, the PDP, and as elders, we understand the pressures which the current crises in our party have occasioned on its leaders, Senator Suswam, inclusive.

“We, therefore, understand that he might have made such remarks purporting to disband G-14 without thinking clearly enough through them. For under different circumstances, Senator Suswam as a lawyer, will be mindful that he is not either the PDP State Chairman or the National Chairman of PDP and he is not in a position to disband G-14 but only has the right to resign his membership of the group as earlier stated.”

The group added that it remains more than ever committed to the ideals which motivated the founding of G-14 in 2015 and in line with those ideals, promised to redouble its efforts to find lasting solutions to those issues causing crises in our great party.

“We will explore all avenues open to us to seek the achievement of reconciliation, peace and stronger unity in the ranks of the PDP in Benue State just as we did in 2015 when the PDP lost power to APC.

“We call for a de-escalation of tensions by leaders and members of our great party, no matter their grievances, and for all of us to take deliberate steps towards the convergence of ideas and efforts to place PDP above individual interests. The dialogue table, as always, remains superior to weapons and passions of war,” the statement read in parts.