By Obinna Uballa
A former Governor of Benue State and ex-Senator, Gabriel Suswam, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), blaming what he described as persistent internal crises and the party’s failure to restore cohesion.
Suswam’s resignation was conveyed in a letter dated Wednesday, February 4, 2026, and addressed to the Chairman of the PDP in Mbagber Council Ward, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State. The letter was made public on Facebook by his Chief of Staff, Moses Ukeyima.
In the letter, the former governor said his decision followed the party’s inability to resolve longstanding disputes affecting its leadership, structure, discipline, and ideological direction.
“I write to formally resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with effect from the date of this letter,” Suswam stated.
“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.”
He, however, lamented that the party which once stood for cohesion, internal democracy, and progressive opposition had now become engulfed in unresolved internal conflicts.
“However, 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,” he wrote.
Suswam noted that despite repeated reconciliation efforts, the PDP remained trapped in a cycle of crisis, leaving him unable to continue his membership in good conscience.
“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,” he added.
He expressed hope that the party would one day resolve its internal contradictions but said he had chosen to step aside for now.
