Politics
You Lack Authority to Disband G-14 – Benue PDP Elders Challenge Suswam
In a statement issued over the weekend by its Chairman, Dr. Laha Dzever, the group was responding to remarks allegedly made by Senator Suswam during a meeting with selected PDP stakeholders on Thursday in Makurdi, where he reportedly claimed that the G-14 had been disbanded.
Rejecting Senator Suswam’s claim, the group clarified that it operates as a voluntary, non-statutory body within the PDP to complement the work of the party’s statutory organs by fostering unity, harmony, and growth. Therefore, it cannot be unilaterally disbanded by any individual, including Senator Suswam.
The statement reads in part: “Our attention has been drawn to comments attributed to former Benue State Governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam, in which he claimed to have disbanded the G-14 Group of Elders of the PDP and replaced it with another body.
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“We understand these comments were made at a meeting he held with some leaders and members of our party last Thursday in Makurdi. After due consultations with the members of the G-14, we make the following clarifications:
“The G-14 is a voluntary, non-statutory body operating within the PDP with the primary goal of complementing the work of the party’s statutory organs to foster unity, harmony, and growth. This goal has driven the group since its founding in 1998 and continues to be its guiding principle.
“By its nature and founding history, G-14 is not owned by any individual and cannot be dissolved by one person, as claimed by Senator Suswam. He is a member like any other, and while he may choose to resign his membership, he lacks the authority or locus to disband the G-14.
“To emphasize, G-14 was established to rescue the PDP following the party’s disastrous loss in the 2015 elections under Senator Suswam’s leadership, including his own Senate seat. The group, as part of its Rescue Agenda, invited Senator Suswam, then the leader of the PDP in Benue, to join its leadership as Co-Chairman alongside Elder Dr. Laha Dzever, the substantive Chairman.
“As tradition dictates, the Co-Chairmanship of the group passed to Chief Samuel Ortom when he became the leader of the PDP in 2018, a role he continues to fulfill with responsibility and statesmanship.
“The G-14 remains a voluntary group of party elders drawn from the 14 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Benue North-East (Zone ‘A’) and Benue North-West (Zone ‘B’), and its leadership structure remains unchanged.
“As elder statesmen and women of integrity in the PDP, we recognize the unfortunate crisis that has befallen our party and, just as we did in 2015, we believe it is time to rise again to rescue the PDP. The G-14 will continue its efforts to rebuild and reposition the party to reclaim power in 2027 while strengthening the bonds that unite us as a political family. We will always prioritize peace and unity.
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“We acknowledge Senator Suswam’s contributions to the PDP and understand the pressures on the party’s leaders, including him, due to the current crisis. It is likely that his remarks were made without sufficient reflection. However, as a lawyer, Senator Suswam should be aware that he is neither the PDP State Chairman nor the National Chairman of the party and therefore cannot disband the G-14. He may only resign his membership.
“We remain committed to the founding ideals of the G-14 and will intensify our efforts to resolve the party’s internal crises. We are determined to pursue reconciliation, peace, and unity within the PDP in Benue, just as we did in 2015 when the party lost power to the APC.
“We urge party leaders and members, regardless of their grievances, to lower tensions and work together for the greater good of the PDP. The dialogue table, as always, is superior to conflict.
“The G-14 will continue to collaborate with both the statutory and conventional organs of the party to achieve and sustain its best interests. We appreciate the support of the party’s College of Leaders, led by His Excellency Chief Samuel Ortom, Senate Minority Leader Sen. Patrick Abba Moro, and State Caretaker Chairman Sen. Napoleon Bali, as well as the Caretaker State Working Committee.
“We also reaffirm our confidence in the National Working Committee, led by Acting National Chairman Amb. Umar Damagun. We urge all party members to remain loyal and trust that we will weather this crisis and emerge stronger than ever.”
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