Former Benue State Governor and the Lawmaker representing Benue North-East Senatorial District, Gabriel Suswam, has shared his assessment on the People’s Democractic Party’s (PDP) chances of unseating President Bola Tinubu, in the upcoming 2027 presidential election.
Suswan, urged the PDP to urgently resolve its leadership crisis and present credible candidates if it intends to challenge Tinubu in the next general elections.
The lawmaker criticized the party’s national leadership for what he described as a lack of transparency and consistency, which he believes has severely damaged public trust.
“What we need in PDP, first and foremost, is transparent leadership at the national level. That will naturally translate into effective leadership at the state level. Right now, it’s all about deceit. People are no longer sure where the party is headed,” he stated.
The former governor during an interview with newsmen on a popular television show, maintained that although the PDP still enjoys grassroots support nationwide, its inability to provide stable leadership has left the party disoriented.
“This is a party that has structures in every ward across the country. But because of the lack of good leadership, that structure has been substantially diminished,” he said. “People have lost confidence completely.”
He pointed to the erratic scheduling of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings as an example of the disorder within the party.
“You fix NEC today, shift it tomorrow, and cancel the next day. How do you build trust like that?” he asked.
Addressing preparations for the 2027 elections, the former governor warned against imposing or appointing candidates without proper consultations and public engagement.
“Let us have people who have genuine interest. It’s not just about saying ‘I want to be the presidential candidate of PDP.’ You must present yourself, talk to people, and earn their support,” he said.
Suswam also took a swipe at presidential aspirants with limited political experience or financial backing, questioning their readiness to vie for the top office.
“Some people think that just because they have some money in their bank accounts, they can run for president. That’s not how serious party politics should be done,” he stated.
He further emphasized the importance of self-assessment, saying, “If I assess myself and I feel I don’t have what it takes at a given time, I won’t run. But people must be willing to test their strength rather than rely on being handpicked.”
When asked about the current PDP National Secretary, the former governor said the position’s status is unclear due to conflicting court rulings.
“The Court of Appeal gave the position to one person, but when the matter went to the Supreme Court, they threw it back, saying it was an internal party affair”, he added attributing the worsened internal crisis to the Supreme Court’s decision.
“We expect the Supreme Court to be definitive. It is the last court in the land. If people take a matter to them and they push it back, that doesn’t resolve anything,” he said.
Furthermore, Suswam concluded by supporting recent resolutions of the PDP Governors’ Forum, stressing that unity and reforms are essential if the party is to remain competitive.
