Senator Gabriel Suswam
Former Governor of Benue State and serving Senator, Gabriel Suswam, has firmly denied claims circulating online that he is set to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), calling the reports nothing more than political mischief.
The denial was made in a statement issued on Friday in Makurdi by his media aide, Mr. Bede Bartholomew, in response to speculations tied to a state dinner hosted by Governor Hyacinth Alia.
> “I debunk this unholy rumour with all vehemence, as it doesn’t represent the current interests of Senator Suswam or that of his supporters across the state,” Bartholomew said.
According to him, Suswam received a formal invitation from Governor Alia to attend a non-partisan state banquet slated for October 10, 2025 — an event intended to bring together stakeholders across the state, regardless of political affiliation.
> “What I know is that two days ago, Alia respectfully extended an invitation to Suswam, among other stakeholders, expressing his desire for them to attend a state banquet,” Bartholomew explained.
“It should be noted that as a former governor of the state, Suswam is a stakeholder in the Benue project; thus, his reason for accepting the invitation.”
Online chatter had alleged that the dinner was a political cover for Suswam’s formal defection to the APC, and that Governor Alia would publicly welcome him into the ruling party at the event. But Bartholomew insisted there was no such agenda in play.
> “There is no indication in the invitation that this is a political gathering, much less a decamping ceremony,” he said.
Bartholomew urged the public to disregard the rumour entirely, describing it as “baseless, aimless, and a lie from the deepest pit of hell.”
He reiterated that Suswam remains committed to his current political stance and has not considered switching parties.
