Former Benue Governor Gabriel Suswam has denied rumors of plans to defect from the PDP to the APC.
He clarified that his attendance at a state dinner in Makurdi was not politically motivated.
Former Benue State Governor and two-term senator, Gabriel Suswam, has debunked reports claiming he intends to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement issued on Friday, October 10, 2025, by his media aide, Mr. Bede Bartholomew, and made available to journalists in Makurdi, Suswam described the speculation making the rounds on social media as “baseless, misleading, and completely untrue.”
The rumors reportedly began after claims surfaced that the former governor would formally join the APC during a state banquet hosted by Governor Hyacinth Alia at the Government House in Makurdi. However, his media aide clarified that Suswam only attended the event as an invited guest, in his capacity as a former governor and stakeholder in the Benue project, not as part of any defection arrangement.
Bede stated that several concerned individuals had called to verify the authenticity of the reports but assured that there was no truth to them. “I received calls from well-meaning Benuelites alerting me to a trending story alleging that Senator Suswam would be received into the APC by Governor Alia at a dinner this evening. This claim is entirely false,” he said.
He explained that the governor had simply extended an invitation to Suswam and other notable figures to attend a state function, which the former governor accepted out of courtesy and respect for the office of the governor. “There was no mention in the invitation letter that the event had any political significance or was related to a defection ceremony,” he added.
Bartholomew further stated that Suswam’s presence at the dinner was strictly in the interest of promoting unity and development in Benue State, not political realignment.
“The former governor urges his supporters to disregard this unfounded rumor. He remains a loyal member of the Peoples Democratic Party and is committed to contributing to Benue’s progress through constructive engagement,” the statement concluded.
