Former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and crossed over to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

In his letter of resignation addressed to the PDP chairman of Mbagber council ward of Logo council area, yesterday, Suswam cited his reasons for leaving the PDP to include “persistent and unresolved internal conflicts.”

Suswam, who served as a member of the House of Representatives, governor and senator, all on the platform of the PDP, thanked the party for the opportunities, but expressed dismay that “the party that once stood as a symbol of cohesion, internal democracy, and progressive opposition has, regrettably, become plagued by persistent and unresolved internal conflicts. These disputes, spanning leadership, structure, discipline, and ideology, have been allowed to fester without any clear or credible pathway to resolution.”

He continued: “Despite repeated interventions, reconciliatory committees, and public assurances, the party continues to operate in a state of deep internal dysfunction. The PDP today appears to be perpetually trapped in crisis mode; an institution in political intensive care, with no consensus diagnosis and no agreed treatment plan in sight.

“As a committed democrat and stakeholder in Nigeria’s political development, I find it increasingly difficult to reconcile my continued membership with my personal convictions, political philosophy, and desire to contribute meaningfully to nation-building within a stable and functional political framework.

“I believe that political parties must serve as platforms for ideas, discipline, and constructive engagement, not arenas of endless internal warfare. Regrettably, the current state of affairs within the PDP no longer aligns with these ideals.”

When The Guardian contacted Suswam’s Special Assistant on Media, Bede Bartholomew, he confirmed his principal’s defection to the APC.