‘Calls for merger stemming from disenchantment among PDP followers’, ex-Benue governor
The former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam has said that the growing calls for a merger by some members and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stems from the disgruntlement of party followers....READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT FROM SOURCE | READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT FROM SOURCE...
Speaking in an interview with Arise Television, Suswam a chieftain of the PDP said the resolution by the party governors on the calls for a coalition did not resonate with many because fundamental issues within the party have been allowed to linger.
He said that while the resolution of the members of the PDP Governors’ Forum, who have announced that they are not interested in any form of coalition ahead of the 2027 election is not absolute, there is need for underlying issues within the party to be addressed.
He said, “People are just disgruntled and disenchanted with the whole thing. When you find people engaging in merger talks, it is arising from the disenchantment among the followership of the PDP.
“PDP is about the only legacy party that we have in this country. Ordinarily, the resolution of the governors would have been something that resonated very well with a lot of the PDP followers but as it were now, I don;t think that statement to me is an absolute statement.
“Yes, people who have suddenly realised that they should fix the PDP back but there are a lot of questions, that goes with it,, is it not too late in the day? The expectations of the followers of the PDP was that the governors would have taken the steps they are taking now a long time ago,” the former governor stated.
He also noted that several party leaders were more interested in serving personal interest and that has eroded the confidence many of the followers had in the PDP.
Assessing the rejection of a merger by the PDP governors, Suswam said the failure of the party leadership is responsible for the situation the party has found itself.
“So for them to sound so absolute in rejecting merger talks, merger talks does not mean that they would be necessarily a merger,” he said.
The former governor also stated that party members have waited for so long for PDP leaders to resolve several issues bedeviling the party and have since resorted to mentally leaving the party over the leaders’ nonchalant attitudes.
“If PDP was being run very well, if the governors were up and doing before now, you’ll notice that they have postponed PDP NEC meeting for up to five times.
“Major of the issues in the state were congresses were not held and yet results were announced and nothing has been done about it,” he lamented.