Former Benue State Governor and ex-Senator, Gabriel Suswam, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing persistent internal crises and a lack of cohesion within the opposition party.
Suswam’s resignation was conveyed in a letter dated Wednesday, February 4, 2026, and addressed to the PDP Chairman of Mbagber Council Ward in 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 years of unresolved internal conflicts within the party, which he said had weakened its leadership, discipline, structure, 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 the platform to serve the Nigerian people in various capacities, as a Member of the House of Representatives, Governor of Benue State, and Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. For these opportunities and the trust reposed in me, I remain sincerely grateful.”
However, he said the party had drifted from its founding ideals.
“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,” he wrote. “These disputes spanning leadership, structure, discipline, and ideology have been allowed to fester without any clear or credible pathway to resolution.”
Suswam noted that despite repeated interventions and reconciliation efforts, the PDP has remained trapped in what he described as a cycle of crisis, with no sign of lasting stability.
He said he could no longer reconcile his continued membership of the party with his personal convictions or his desire to contribute meaningfully to nation-building within a stable political platform.
“Political parties must serve as platforms for ideas, discipline, and constructive engagement, not arenas of endless internal warfare,” he said. “Regrettably, the current state of affairs within the PDP no longer aligns with these ideals.”
While announcing his decision to step aside, Suswam expressed hope that the PDP would eventually find the courage and consensus needed to resolve its internal contradictions.
As of the time of filing this report, the PDP leadership had not officially reacted to his resignation.
