By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has suspended Senator Gabriel Suswam, Terngu Tsegba, Richard Gbande, Terseer Tsumba and Professor Nicholas Ada from the party for gross insubordination.
In a press statement signed by Bemgba Iortyom, PDP state Publicity Secretary on Thursday and made available to Nigerian NewsDirect, the party also suspended the chairmen of the party for, Apa, Gboko, Gwer-East, Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Logo, Otukpo and Ukum Local government areas.
Recall that the party had summoned the affected persons yesterday, 7th August, 2024, to appear before the State Working Committee (SWC) to answer to allegations made against them bothering on acts inimical to the good health and interests of the party, including diversion of campaign funds during the 2023 elections, sponsoring of factions and thuggery within the party, sponsoring of publication of internal party disputes, sponsoring of court litigations against the party without recourse to the internal dispute resolution mechanisms, among several other things.
In the particular case of Senator Suswam, he was also accused of being a spokesperson and errand runner to APC’s Governor Hyacinth Alia to the extent that even when the PDP Governorship Candidate, Engr. Titus Uba, was still in court challenging the outcome of the election, Suswam was going about drumming support for the governor at public functions, with specific reference made to his speech at the burial of late Akua Aper Aku.
The affected persons were required to appear before the SWC today at the party’s State Secretariat on No. 1, Ochagwu Lawani Street, New GRA in Makurdi by 10am, the aim of their summons being to interact with them at a preliminary level and possibly avoid the need to take disciplinary action against them.
Rather than reciprocating the conciliatory gesture extended to them, they chose the path of intransigence and insubordination by refusing to appear before the SWC as required, with some of them taking to the public space to pour scorn on the party’s constituted authority.
Their unfortunate conduct contravene Section 58 of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (as Amended in 2017) and accordingly, they have been suspended from the party for a period of one (1) month, and are hereby directed to appear before the Disciplinary Committee of the party at a date, venue and time to be communicated to them by the committee.
The party charged its teeming members across the state to remain law abiding and keep faith with the party’s leadership as it steers a peaceable way out of the unfortunate events of the recent past, in the assurance that the party will emerge stronger from the ongoing reformation efforts.