A former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, has declared his intention to contest the Benue North-East Senatorial District seat in the 2027 general elections under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Suswam made the declaration on Monday during an interview on Arise TV, following his recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in February.

Describing his move as a “political realignment,” the former governor said his decision was based on conviction rather than personal ambition. He argued that Benue State has historically aligned with a dominant political party, noting that the state was once firmly under PDP control before shifting to the APC.

According to him, his defection reflects the prevailing political preference of the people of the state.

“Benue State, since I started politics in 1998, is a place where the people believe in one party,” he said. “For its first 16 years, it was completely a PDP state, and subsequently, they moved to the APC.”

Speaking on his 2027 ambition, Suswam said his continued participation in politics is driven by his capacity to contest elective positions, noting that the Senate remains his only viable option.

“I’m a politician, and as long as you are strong enough to contest, you want to contest elections,” he stated. “The only election I can contest now is the Senate. I cannot run for governor again due to constitutional limits, so I will be running for Senate.”