…Former Gov and Alia Silent as Sankera Burns
By Mson Fachir
Former Governor of Benue State Senator Gabriel Suswam is a sad and frustrated man at the moment. His political world has collapsed right before his eyes. He is at his wits end and the man who was funding his agenda to take over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structures in Benue State and hand to him, Governor Hyacinth Alia is no longer picking his phone calls or replying his messages.
Governor Alia is disappointed in Suswam who has literally become like an errand boy to the governor. Alia has discovered that Suswam is a paperweight in the PDP hierarchy and doesn’t have any influence to take the party structures to enable him (Alia) cross over to the main opposition party since his own party APC are not willing to give him a second term ticket.
Alia has spent more than N7 billion to fund Suswam’s quest to take over PDP structures in Benue State. Sadly, the former Governor failed woefully at the Ward, Local Government and State Congresses of PDP. He couldn’t even install his party’s ward and local government officials as his own kinsmen refused to go with him. Suswam lost again in the tussle to put in place the State Executive Committee of the party. The scenario infuriated Governor Alia who has since lost confidence in Suswam and has not been returning his many phone calls.
Sankera which is made up of Katsina-Ala, Logo and Ukum local government areas is Suswam’s birth place. He represented the area in the House of Representatives for two terms from 1999 to 2007 after which he served as Governor for two terms 2007 and 2015 and was elected Senator in 2019 where he stayed till 2023. Despite all such blessings and support from the land, Suswam only cares about his personal interests.
Suswam’s homeland Sankera has been burning for some time now and he has not bothered to tell his “friend” Governor Alia to take decisive action to stop the bloodbath. Fulani herders have been on rampage in the area killing hundreds and displacing thousands of people in addition to the atrocities of local militia, but Suswam is more concerned about his ambition to be the next national chairman of PDP. He has been on national television countless times attacking President Bola Tinubu and PDP national officials but has never uttered a word in condemnation of the killing of his own Sankera people.
Suswam cares only about what can benefit him alone. Governor Alia has given him billions of naira to take over PDP structures and hand them to him but the one term Zone A Senator has never cared to send even a single truck of relief materials to any part of Sankera ravaged by Fulani attacks.
Just a few days ago, terrorists attacked Anyiin, Suswam’s home town and killed scores of people, but not even a single word of sympathy or condemnation has come from a man who was shown uncommon love by the people who are today victims of the attacks. Suswam, like his friend governor Alia, does not care if the people are exterminated. As long as they are safe and enjoying in 5-star hotels in Abuja and other parts of the world, the lives of those who are being slaughtered like animals in Sankera and elsewhere do not matter.
Benue’s history won’t be kind to Senator Suswam for elevating thuggery to a state religion and arming youths in Sankera during his reign as governor.
It is on record that the bad boys in Sankera axis of Benue State have been calling Suswam’s name as the one who started arming them against political opponents, a situation that has now degenerated into a total war against even the common and innocent people in the area that was before now reputed for massive food production.
Suswam has chosen to remain silent over the killings in Sankera and has always feigned ignorance of the magnitude of the monster he created.
Suswam must be reminded that his ingratitude towards Sankera people who supported him for 25 years is well noted and documented. The people are now wiser.
Those who will survive the ongoing genocide in the area will remind him and his friend Governor Alia in 2027 that we (Sankera people) are still alive and our votes matter.
Fachir, an Ukum-born public affairs analyst writes from Makurdi.
