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From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Former Governor of Benue State Senator Gabriel Suswam has declared that the state is politically aligned and “locked down” in support of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Suswam, who stated this when he, accompanied by his supporters, paid a visit to the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in Makurdi to interface with the State Working Committee (SWC) on Thursday, said the people of Benue are ready to rally behind the President, noting that political leaders in the state are working to ensure stability and unity in support of the ruling APC.
Suswam, who explained that his relationship with the current Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, predates party politics, said their long-standing friendship influenced his decision to work closely with the governor rather than stand in opposition after Alia assumed office.
Suswam explained that the governor had reached out to him shortly after winning the election, emphasising the need for cooperation in tackling the challenges facing the state.
The former governor said he subsequently encouraged his political associates and supporters to join hands with the Alia administration in order to create stability in governance. He stressed that such unity would give the governor the “presence of mind” required to address critical issues confronting the state, particularly insecurity.
He said, “Myself and the Governor have related long before he even thought of becoming a Governor. So we have a relationship that ascends party politics. When he won election, we were in communication and he felt that there was no need for me to stand in opposition with him and I also saw no need because we’ve been friends.
“So eventually I have to bring all the people that were with me right from when I started politics to join hands with him so that he can have stability and presence of mind to be able to attend to the issues affecting Benue such as the insecurity.”
Speaking on the security situation in the North-Central region, Suswam described the crisis as complex, adding that although many of the steps taken by the Benue State Government are not visible to the public, the governor has been making significant efforts behind the scenes to tackle the problem.
According to him, security operations often require a high level of secrecy, which may prevent the public from fully appreciating the measures being implemented. He also added that the President has been providing support to the state government in addressing the security challenges affecting the region.
Suswam noted that insecurity, which many initially believed was limited to northeastern states such as Borno State, has now spread to other parts of the country. He therefore called on all citizens, community leaders, and stakeholders to avail themselves and play active roles in supporting government efforts to restore peace.
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He emphasised that addressing insecurity should not be left to the government alone, warning that relying solely on the government may not produce the desired results. He insisted that collaboration between the government and citizens is necessary to effectively confront the threat.
Senator Suswam further revealed that he has continued to offer advice to Governor Alia based on his experience in governance and politics, adding that the support being mobilised by his political structure is aimed at strengthening the APC in the state and ensuring political stability.
While reflecting on the political history of Benue State, Suswam noted that the state has traditionally aligned strongly with one dominant party at a time. He recalled that before the return to democratic rule in 1999, the state was associated with the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and later became a stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the APC gained prominence.
According to him, the decision by many political actors to rally behind the APC is aimed at ensuring that Benue speaks with one voice in supporting President Tinubu so that the state can attract the attention and developmental benefits that come with strong political alignment at the national level.
He said, “So we are bringing a lot of value; we are bringing people to support the party, to give stability and also make sure that Benue is locked down for APC as well.
“The Benue people have never done two parties before since I started politics in 1998. Before I started politics Benue was in NPN. When PDP came, Benue was in PDP. We tried to sustain that, but the APC overwhelmed us. So that is what the Benue people want; we have to join so that we don’t have part of the state that is not supporting him. We want the President to know that Benue is locked down for him so that whatever due diligence he has to give to us, he will give it to us.”
When asked if he intends to contest for a Senate seat in the 2027 elections, Suswam said he remains an active politician and has not ruled out the possibility of running again, adding that he is still within the age to contest and that all political options remain open.
He said, “I’m a politician, and you can’t put anything beyond me. I’m also not yet beyond the age of contesting, so everything is on the table.”
Earlier during the visit, the State Chairman of the APC, Chief Benjamin Omale, said the presence of Senator Suswam in the party secretariat was highly significant to the party and the state.
Omale said the visit is a huge political statement and appreciated them for joining the APC.
The chairman thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for standing for the truth and justice concerning the issue of party structures in Benue, promising that the state will reward him in the 2027 election.
