Benue politics: Supporters set new goals for Suswam

Uja Emmanuel in Makurdi reports on the return of Gabriel Suswam to the mainstream politics of Benue State, noting that so much is expected from the former governor of the North-Central state, who is today the Senator representing Benue Northeast Senatorial District

IT is difficult to comprehend how the All Progressives Congress (APC) which sent the 16 years ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of power in 2015, lost the same Benue State back to PDP in 2019 general elections.

To worsen the electoral defeat, the two senatorial districts, (Benue zone A and B) also went to the PDP.

The APC won one House of Representatives (Gboko / Tarka) out of 10, leaving the rest to PDP and APGA (Vandeikya/ Konshisha).

Governor Samuel, who defected to the APC in 2014, picked the ticket and sent PDP packing returned to his former party (PDP) and still beat APC in the governorship race.

The defeat of the APC in Benue State’s electoral contest has brought up new political leaders to watch in the next four years.

One of the leaders to watch is ex-Governor Gabriel Suswam, popular known and called “Civilian General” by his admirers. He is the senator Representing Benue north east senatorial district.

Senator Suswam defeated the then incumbent Senator Barnabas Gemade (SDP) and Mrs. Mimi Orubibi (APC) to emerge victorious.

Since joining politics in 1998 when he was elected into the House of Representatives, representing Logo,  Ukum and Kstsina Ala Federal Constituency,  Suswam has never lost any election except in 2015.

After eight years in the lower chamber,  Suswam was elected the governor of Benue State

He left the lower chamber in Abuja straight to the Government House Makurdi as the governor for another eight years that ended in 2015.

However, his attempt to go to the senate after serving as governor (incumbent) ended in fiasco as he was defeated by Chief Barnabas Gemade.

Gemade, a former National Chairman of PDP, left PDP and joined APC when it was obvious he would lose the ticket to Suswam, then, the governor of Benue State and defeated Suswam in the zone A senatorial race in 2015.

Suswam challenged Gemade at the tribunal, but later withdrew his petition saying Benue leaders should not be distracted.

Suswam specifically noted that Tiv people are not much at the federal level and that a petition against Gemade,  whom he described as his leader, was an unnecessary distraction to the business of law making, having faced same  for three years against the defunct  ACN over 2011 governorship polls.

It would be recalled that the former governor faced one of the biggest probes after his exit from Government House, Makurdi in 2015.

Many probe panels were set up against his administration. But perhaps, the biggest was Justice Kpojime Judicial Commission of Inquiry which found him guilty of misappropriation of N107b in a case at Abuja Federal High Court where he was tried alongside his Commissioner of Finance.

Suswam was again arrested by officials of DSS in Abuja. It was also said that some exotic cars and Certificate of Occupancy of some choice plots of land were allegedly recovered from him.

But sources told The Nation that it was a set up meant to pin him down politically. The Gaambetoev strong man (his clan name) came out unscratched after his detention at DSS.

During his eight years as governor of Benue, the state witnessed massive infrastructures development in roads, health, education and rural development.

Suswam was a key political player in both late Yar Adua and Goodluck Jonathan’s administrations.

During his 16 years as a member of House of Representatives and as governor, Suswam bestrode the Nigerian and Benue political map like a colossus as he was involved in many key political decisions and solutions.

It was during his time as a governor that Benue indigenes had the highest share of political office from the federal government.

He empowered many youths, through appointments, and was loved by many, especially widows and the vulnerable in the state.

He has massive followers who gave him nick names like, Dom Agya, Gab Susu  Gaambetiev strong man and Civilian General because of his knack to turn seemingly impossible to possible .

When he lost Benue North East senatorial seat in 2015, many of his supporters were devastated so when he declared for the seat in 2019, it was obvious he was going to win and his admirers throw their energy into the race.

They argued that Benue North East Senatorial District has no leader who can deliver democracy dividends like Gabriel Suswam. He is considered so particularly in the Sankera political bloc, his immediate constituency, comprising Logo, Ukum and Katsina Ala local government areas.

Now that the “Civilian-General” has returned to Benue political map as a senator, all eyes are him to deliver.

Having been a reps member, governor and now senator, the people of Benue North East Senatorial Zone expects nothing less than quality legislation, after all, he is their Civilian-General.