Former Benue Governor, Suswam Formally Joins APC Following PDP Exit

Former Benue Governor, Suswam Formally Joins APC Following PDP Exit

By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

Former Governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam, has officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This major political shift occurred on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, marking a significant turn in the state’s political landscape.

The move comes only hours after Suswam formally announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). His departure ends a long-standing relationship with the party under which he served two terms as governor and one term as a senator.

Suswam completed his registration into the APC at his village in the Logo Local Government Area of Benue State. The process was part of the ruling party’s ongoing e-registration exercise aimed at capturing new members across the country.

Internal conflicts and unresolved crises within the PDP were cited as the primary reasons for his exit. For several months, Suswam had been at odds with the party’s leadership, specifically regarding the control of the state’s party structure.

The defection was confirmed by his media aide, Bartholomew Bede, through a statement released on social media. The aide noted that the former governor performed his first duty as a card-carrying member shortly after being registered.

Leading a mass of followers into the ruling party, Suswam’s move is expected to significantly alter the balance of power in Benue. Many of his loyalists from the PDP and other smaller factions are reportedly following him into the APC.

The PDP leadership has responded by distancing itself from the move, suggesting that Suswam had effectively left the party much earlier. They claimed his formal announcement was merely a confirmation of a decision made long ago during previous leadership disputes.

In explaining the reasoning behind the timing and the nature of the shift, the statement from his camp noted, “Moments ago, the former governor of Benue State H.E. Sen. Gabriel Suswam, performed his first duty as a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress APC by registering in his Mbagber Council Ward, in Logo Local Government Area, Benue State, Nigeria.”