Former Benue State Governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam, has called for immediately removing Umar Damagum, the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing poor performance and leadership failures.
During an expanded caucus meeting of the PDP in Makurdi, Suswam expressed deep concerns about the party’s direction under Damagum’s leadership.
“Damagum must go, whether they like it or not,” Suswam stated firmly, accusing the party’s national leadership of deliberately undermining the PDP.
He claimed that Damagum had transformed the party into a “business venture” and was unfit to continue in his position.
Suswam highlighted what he described as conspiracies within the party’s national leadership, suggesting that these elements were bent on destroying the PDP.
He further pointed to alleged manipulation during local government and state congresses in Benue State, referring to them as “kangaroo congresses.”
Suswam questioned the credibility of the delegates chosen, noting that no valid ward or local government congresses were leading up to the state congress.
“The process was a sham, and it will not stand,” Suswam declared, vowing to explore alternative strategies to rectify the situation.
In a show of solidarity, the Benue State Chairman of the PDP, Mr Christian Adaba Abah, thanked party members for their unwavering support and urged them to stay committed. “You will not regret your loyalty to the party,” Abah reassured.
Other leaders, including Udu Nyitse, Cletus Upaa, John Ngbede, and Hyacinth Inyakuma, echoed their confidence in the party’s resilience and expressed optimism about the PDP’s future, particularly its prospects in the 2027 elections.