Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Jos, Nigeria — The political landscape of Plateau State has once again been thrown into uncertainty as Senator Jonah David Jang, a towering figure in the state’s politics and former governor, emphatically reaffirmed Chief Raymond Dabo as the legitimate chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, rejecting a rival assembly he described as a “kangaroo” congress that threatens to deepen internal divisions. The move reflects broader turmoil within the PDP at both state and national levels, where factions aligned with powerful figures have been contesting leadership positions ahead of Nigeria’s next general elections.
In a statement issued on Monday through his media consultant, Comrade Clinton Garuba, Senator Jang condemned a recent gathering in Jos organised by a faction he alleges is aligned with external influences and self‑serving interests. That congress claimed to elect a new leadership for the Plateau PDP, but Jang and his supporters insist the exercise lacked constitutional backing and was nothing more than a ploy to disrupt the party’s cohesion.
Jang’s intervention comes amid heightened sensitivities in opposition politics in Nigeria. The former governor, who also served as senator for Plateau North and is a longstanding PDP stalwart, described the disputed assembly as illegitimate and its outcomes null and void. He reiterated that the current State Working Committee, led by Chairman Chief Raymond Dabo, was duly elected in an earlier congress overseen by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and therefore remains the only recognised party executive in Plateau State.
According to Jang’s spokesperson, there was no precedent of any fracture within the Plateau PDP’s executive body before the rival gathering, making the recent congress unnecessary and unlawful. “There has never been any crack in the State Working Committee,” the statement said, adding that the leadership elected previously remains valid and in place. The former governor urged party members to disregard what he described as opportunistic and divisive manoeuvres aimed at weakening the party.
The disputed congress, reportedly backed by a faction aligned with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, purportedly elected Peter Tongshep, a former local government PDP chairman, as the new state chairman along with 38 other executive members. Organisers maintain that their exercise complied with party requirements and was peaceful, though the official state PDP leadership quickly rejected those claims and suspended the new officers as illegitimate.
Plateau’s PDP has historically been a focal point of internal party struggles, as various interest groups vie for influence in the strategically significant Middle Belt state. Jang’s backing of Chief Dabo is widely seen as an attempt to consolidate one faction of the party in the face of competing claims — a dynamic that mirrors ongoing national PDP crises. These disputes have involved tensions between different national leaders, including between supporters of key figures such as Wike and others aligned with rival leadership aspirations, all seeking to shape the party’s direction and structure ahead of future elections.
Political analysts say that the Plateau tussle cannot be viewed in isolation. The PDP is grappling with deep fractures across several states, driven by unresolved tensions over leadership control, candidate selection, and ideological direction. Internal disagreements have intensified since the party’s return to opposition status following its 2023 general election loss to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). These struggles have frequently manifested in conflicting congresses, parallel leadership claims, and protracted legal challenges, testing the party’s resilience and organisational capacity.
For his part, Senator Jang acknowledged the ongoing national disputes, noting that PDP leaders have been holding intense meetings in Abuja over the past fortnight in an effort to resolve internal issues and present a united front. He said these discussions would continue in the coming days with the aim of achieving unity and progress within the party.
The Plateau leadership fight has drawn attention to how political allegiances and power struggles can influence grassroots party structures. Supporters of the Dabo leadership argue that his chairmanship, upheld by Jang’s declaration, is constitutionally sound and reflects the genuine will of party delegates from across Plateau’s local government areas. They warn that recognising any breakaway congress sets a dangerous precedent that could erode democratic norms within political parties.
Meanwhile, supporters of the rival faction contend that new leadership is necessary to reinvigorate the party at a time when many believe the PDP is losing ground nationally. Wike‑aligned members have framed their congress as an exercise in democratic renewal and asserted that the party’s internal mechanisms permit such gatherings when there is perceived leadership stagnation. However, such claims have been firmly rejected by Jang’s camp as unfounded, with both sides accusing the other of undermining party unity.
As political tensions escalate, some observers fear the Plateau crisis could spill over into legal battles if neither side backs down. The Nigerian political landscape is no stranger to court interventions in party leadership disputes, and similar clashes have previously culminated in protracted litigation that further strains party cohesion. The prospect of judicial engagement looms as both factions seek legitimacy and recognition at higher levels of party structure and possibly from regulatory bodies.
Plateau remains a key battleground in Nigeria’s political field, not only because of its demographic and electoral weight but also due to its history of political and communal tensions. How the PDP navigates this leadership crisis could have implications for its performance in upcoming off‑cycle and national elections, as unity and organisational clarity are critical for contesting power against the entrenched ruling party.
For now, Senator Jang’s emphatic reaffirmation of Raymond Dabo as the rightful chairman reinforces one faction’s stance, even as rival claims persist. The party’s ability to reconcile these differences internally will be tested in the weeks and months ahead, as members grapple with competing visions for Plateau’s political future and the broader trajectory of the PDP as a national opposition force.
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