Benue North East Senatorial District: Two Years Under Suswam, the Journey so Far

By David Mzer

When the people of Benue North East Senatorial District went to the polls to elect a Senator on February 23,2019, they wanted someone who will be their voice in the Senate, one who will make Nigerians become aware of their presence in the federal sharing arrangement,one who will integrate the Senatorial district within the scheme of things.

The people found former governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam worthy of the task and they unanimously elected him as their Senator with a whopping 148,645 votes.

Shortly after his inauguration as Senator on June 11,2019, the popular saying that a golden fish has no hiding place applied to Senator Suswam.

Suswam was appointed as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power. He was also made a member of many other committees in the Senate such as the Petroleum Downstream, Public Accounts, Works, Finance, National security and Intelligence, Senate Services and Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights, and the recently constituted Constitutional Review Committee, amongst others.

After settling down at the Red Chamber to carryout his primary functions of Lawmaking, Legislation and Oversight, Suswam started making efforts to address the challenges of his constituents and Nigerians in general.


Bills and Motions

In performing his primary duty of lawmaking, Senator Suswam has sponsored 6 Bills,which have all passed first reading and are at various stages.

Bills sponsored by Suswam includes:

1. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 - to alter the provisions of section 64(3) and 105(3) of the GFRN 1999 to designate a definate and certain day for the inauguration and swearing-in if newly elected members of the National Assembly.

2. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2020 - to alter the provisions of section 291(1) of the GFRN, 1999 to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Justices from 70 years to 75 in order to minimize turnover in membership of Supreme Court, guarantee the stability of the Supreme Court as institution critical to constitutional democracy.

3. Debt Management Office (Establishment, Etc) (Amendment) Bill, 2020

4. Terrorism (Prohibition) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020 - to prohibit the use of crypto currencies in the payment of ransoms demanded by kidnappers and hostage takers.

5. Tertiary Education Reform Bill, 2020.

6. Armed Forces (Joint Security operation and synergy) Bill, 2020 - to provide the legal framework for joint military operations and ensure accountability regarding shared intelligence etc.

Senator Suswam has also sponsored several motions on the floor of the senate. In December 2020, Senator Suswam gave the people of Ushongo Local Government Area(which falls under his Senatorial District) and the people of Guma local government area( which is outside his district) a Christmas gift by sponsoring the motion titled, "Approval for the restoration of Two (2) State Constituencies from Ushongo State Constituency of Benue State and the restoration of Agasha State Constituency from Guma State Constituency in compliance with the decisions of the Courts and Section 115 of the Constitution.”

Suswam in his lead debate, urged the Senate to note the decision of the Federal High Court Abuja of January 13, 2005 in the case of Ushongo Local Government v. INEC suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/562/2004 which ordered the INEC to restore the suppressed Mata and Mbagwa State Constituencies in Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State.

He also called attention to the decision of the Supreme Court of October 10, 2018 in the case of INEC v. GUMA LGA and 2 Ors suit No. SC/195/2016 wherein the apex court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal delivered on 16/06/2015 in suit No.CA/MK/137/2012 on the immediate restoration of Agasha State Constituency in Guma Local Government of Benue State.

Consequently, the Senate unanimously approved the restoration of three constituencies in Benue state.

The Senate also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to comply with its resolution which approved the restoration of the three constituencies.

In May 2020, news of the planned increase in electricity tariff with effect from July 1,2020 got to the public.

Senator Gabriel Suswam as the peoples Senator speedily sponsored a motion titled "Power Sector Recovery Plan and Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Suswam, while leading the debate on the general principles of the motion, stated that stable and uninterrupted power supply was a critical factor in the management of COVID-19 patients at isolation and treatment centres nationwide.

According to Suswam, uninterrupted electricity is also key in the proposed upgrade of health facilities and in the manufacturing sector of the economy.

This time also, the Senate unanimously agreed with Senator Suswam, and consequently urged the federal government to suspend the planned electricity tariff increase, which was to take effect in July, citing hardships caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.


To the amazement of everyone, Senator Suswam , in the last two years, has executed laudable constituency projects in the different sectors and fields of human endeavour — education, power, water, critical infrastructure, name it.

In the education sector, Suswam gave scholarship to 80 law school students, with the beneficiaries drawn across the seven local governments that make up his Senatorial district. Each beneficiary received the sum of N100,000. Under the Suswam Foundation, 700 students in higher institutions across the country, drawn from the seven local governments that make Benue North East Senatorial District were given scholarships. Another list of beneficiaries will soon be out for the second batch.

In the area of Basic education, Suswam has facilitated the construction of classroom blocks in public primary schools scattered across Benue North East Senatorial District. These school projects includes: block of 3 classrooms at LGEA Primary School Heagha, Mbagwaza, Ushongo LGA, block of 6 classrooms at LGEA Primary School Tse-Ioralu, Ugondo Logo LGA, block of 3 classrooms at LGEA Primary School Gbor, Tiir, Tongov Katsina -Ala LGA, block of 3 classrooms at LGEA Primary School Saka Mbayenge Council Ward, Ukum LGA.

Others are block of 3 classrooms at LGEA Primary School Antyo Mbajor Vandeikya LGA, block of 3 classroom at Community Secondary School, Degu,Mbagusa/Mbatser council ward of Konshisha LGA.


In other to boost economic activities in his constituency and also check rural-urban drift, quite a number of power projects.

They include:100KW Solar hybrid mini grid at Atekombo, Mbagba, solar street light at Ushongo town and Mbaikyurav-Yar, all in Ushongo local government Area, Solar street light, Gungul,Mbakyase Council Ward of Konshisha local government, Street Solar light, Tse Agberagba,45KVA mini grid electrification project,Anwase,Nyiev Ya,Mbaikyor, Kwande local government area and 500KVA transformer at Ikyogen, Ikyurav -Ya, Kwande LGA.


In the area of water supply, Senator Suswam has also performed brilliantly as well. Some of his water projects includes: motorized borehole with 10,000 litres overhead water tank at Wanze-Ikov council ward and motorized borehole with 10, 000 litres over head water tank at Mbayegh, all in Ushongo local government Area, Motorized borehole at NKST Ubwa, Mbayegh/Mbakyer council ward of Konshisha local government.


In the provision of critical infrastructure, a bridge is currently under construction on River Akumati - Ayaga road, kumakwagh Council Ward Kwande local government.

The Senator's Constituency projects are also felt in the health sector, with the construction of block of maternity ward, at Comprehensive Health Center, Mbaakpur. Mbakyase, Konshisha. These and many more are captured under the 2020 budget.


In the 2021 budget, the Senator has also earmarked many projects for his constituents. In Ushongo local government alone, records show the projects that will be executed includes:100KW solar hybrid mini grid at Sati Ikov, block of 3 classroom at RCM Primary School, Mbazaar - Angusha, Mbaawe ward, electrification of Hegha and Igboor in Mbazwaza ward, motorized borehole at Utange, Provision and Installation of Solar street light in Ushongo and Lessel towns, Provision and installation of 300KVA/33KVA/0.425KV transformer and wiring at Mbawuangi Community and extension of electricity from Tse-zun to Tse-Anom village.

Empowerment /Job Opportunities


Even as a House of Representative member between 1999-2007, Suswam was known for facilitating the appointment and empowerment of not just his constituents but Benue at large. This he has continued as a Senator. So far, Senator Suswam has facilitated the appointment of over 25 youths who have been employed in federal agencies such as Niger Delta Power Holding Company(NDPHC), Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission(NERC), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO) amongst others.


He has also distributed not fewer than 80 motorcycles to ease movement of some of his constituents.

Just few days ago, the distinguished Senator distributed relief materials to victims of herdsmen attacks taking refuge at the IDPs camp in Tordonga.

All these and many more captured here have been completed by Senator Suswam within two years, with many projects ongoing.

For Nigerians, Senator Suswam who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Power is currently working on giving Nigeria an Electricity Act which will provide the legal framework to address the problems associated with the quality of electricity supply in the country.

According to Senator Suswam, "The legal framework that we have in place which regulates the power sector, was set up in 2004, just to enable the government to privatize the sector.


“Now we’ve gone beyond privatisation, and there has to be an electricity act for the country.

"The Act, which should be ready in August, will set a legal framework that would touch on the issue of energy theft, and the sanctions against those who bypass meters.


” It will also give potential investors to come and invest in Nigeria knowing that the legal framework for the country’s power sector protects them.”

It is evident to even pessimist and political opponents that Senator Suswam has written his name in gold in his two years in the senate. One can only wonder the good times that lies ahead for the people of Benue North East Senatorial District with Senator Gabriel Suswam as their representative.

Mzer is a public affairs analyst, a constituent of Benue North East Senatorial District, from Ushongo.

okay well done senator suswan