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COALITION WILL DEFEAT APC IN 2027’ – SUSWAN
Former governor of Benue State and prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gabriel Suswam, has asserted that the anticipated opposition coalition will emerge as the leading party in the 2027 elections, indicating that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ought to be concerned.
Suswam, who appeared as a guest on a news program, stated that a significant number of Nigerians are unhappy with the current government’s economic strategies, and the coalition intends to capitalize on this dissatisfaction.
“This is not the first instance of such a situation. Nigerians are quite discontented due to the economic policies of this administration.
“Every Nigerian is impacted by the economic measures of this administration, and therefore, I am confident that the coalition will be the party to beat. If I were part of the ruling party, I would certainly be apprehensive about it,” Suswam remarked.
During his brief visit to Nasarawa State on Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu dismissed the coalition, labeling its leaders as internally displaced politicians.
In response to Tinubu’s comments, Suswam recalled how he and other PDP officials had previously dismissed the opposition alliance that resulted in the formation of the APC prior to the 2015 elections, only for the PDP to face defeat.
“We were engaged in similar dismissals when we were in power, completely disregarding the APC. People did not afford them any opportunity, yet they won that election,” he noted.
The former governor emphasized that the composition of the coalition would influence whether the ruling party should be concerned.
He pointed out that the ruling party should indeed be worried, as many of its members have shown interest in joining the coalition.
When asked if he would be part of the coalition, Suswam expressed his dissatisfaction with the PDP and mentioned that he would consider joining if the coalition offered a compelling platform.
The primary opposition party, PDP, has been caught in an internal turmoil that has persisted for more than two years, and Suswam expressed his belief that the party is unlikely to resolve this situation before the 2027 elections.
“As we are currently in June, there are only two months remaining until 2026. By March and April 2026, comprehensive political activities are expected to commence. A party that is disunited and appears incapable of unifying itself cannot participate in the upcoming (2027) elections.
“I do not foresee the PDP emerging from this predicament in the near future, and since I intend to run for election, I prefer not to squander my time waiting and speculating,” he stated.
He further mentioned that if he were afforded the opportunity to address the crisis within the PDP, his initial step would be to engage with the dissatisfied members of the party, understand their concerns, and work towards resolving them.
