…Deceiving Unsuspecting Supporters
Former Governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam, is reportedly planning to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the willing connivance of his latter day friend, Governor Hyacinth Alia.
While this move has been cloaked in rhetoric about dissatisfaction with the party’s internal processes, the underlying motivations are far deeper and merit serious attention from his gullible supporters and the general public.
Close sources have revealed that Suswam’s imminent defection to the APC is not merely a response to perceived injustices within the PDP, as he claims, but rather a strategic maneuver to evade legal repercussions. Currently facing serious charges at the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, Suswam is accused of misappropriating substantial funds belonging to Benue State when he served as governor of the state. Specifically, the sale of Benue State shares amounting to N3.1 billion, the equivalent of $15.8 million at that time is the case that is likely to send Suswam to prison. This cash, which was reportedly handed to him by a bureau de change operator at his Maitama home in Abuja, is at the centre of a lawsuit instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC that is threatening Suswam’s freedom and political career.
The narrative Suswam presents to his supporters, suggesting that he is leaving the PDP due to the mishandling of congresses at the ward, local government, and state levels in Benue State, is, at best, a smokescreen. In truth, he is seeking not just a change of political party but a lifeline. It is a way to secure protection from prosecution in exchange for his allegiance to the APC.
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Reports indicate that Suswam is being aided in his quest for refuge by Governor Alia, who has purportedly assured him of a protective cover from further legal actions should he make the switch to the APC. Alia is in cahoots with some top men in the Tinubu administration who are not favourably disposed towards the SGF, Senator George Akume. This arrangement tells us the lengths to which Suswam is willing to go to save himself, prioritizing his personal interests over the well-being of his party supporters.
This is a critical juncture for members of the PDP in Benue State. Suswam’s intentions are not rooted in loyalty to the party or its values but in self-preservation. He is feigning a commitment to the PDP while simultaneously plotting his escape.
Suswam is treating his supporters as mere bargaining chips in his desperate bid for a “soft landing” after insulting President Bola Tinubu on live television as a failed leader.
To the unsuspecting members of the PDP, it is important you realize that Suswam’s narrative is a facade. His claims of dissatisfaction with the party’s congresses are designed to mislead and manipulate you and divert attention from the more pressing issue of his legal troubles. His impending defection is not an act of principled dissent; it is a calculated strategy aimed at evading justice.
It is crucial for PDP members to remain vigilant and critically assess the motivations of Suswam. His actions could lead to a betrayal of trust, where he leverages the goodwill of PDP supporters only to abandon them once he secures his safety from jail within the APC. History has shown that political expediency often trumps loyalty, and Suswam’s current predicament exemplifies this trend.
Do not fall for deception. That man does not have you at heart.
Signed:
Hon. Terna Shintoho
Convener, Concerned PDP Youths.
