Former Plateau State Governor David Jonah Jang has asserted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains the dominant political force in the state, amid an ongoing leadership dispute between rival factions. Jang, a key PDP leader in the state, declared that the state executive committee, led by Chairman Chief Raymond Dabo, is the only legitimate party authority.
His statement directly challenges a parallel congress held on March 17 by a faction aligned with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. That faction elected Peter Tongshep as its state chairman. Jang dismissed the March 17 gathering as an illegitimate “Kangaroo Congress” orchestrated by “self-seeking, power-hungry individuals” collaborating with “undemocratic forces outside the state.”
Jang’s position is based on the outcome of an earlier congress held in October 2025 by the faction loyal to former Senate President Tanimu Turaki, which produced Dabo as chairman. He emphasized that this congress was properly organised and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in line with the party’s constitution. Consequently, he argued that the State Working Committee elected then has never fractured and that any subsequent congress, including the March 17 event, is “null and void and of no effect.”
The former governor acknowledged the broader national crisis within the PDP but stated that state leaders, including himself, have been meeting in Abuja to resolve issues and reposition the party. He urged genuine members to remain united and steadfast, calling on those he described as “agents of distraction” to cease actions that complicate reconciliation efforts.
The public feud underscores the deepening factional divides within the PDP, a party currently grappling with national leadership struggles. Jang’s firm reaffirmation of Dabo’s chairmanship highlights the persistent state-level assertions of authority that contradict activities from rival national-aligned groups. The dispute leaves the party’s official structure in Plateau State contested, with both factions claiming legitimacy as the PDP seeks to resolve its internal crises ahead of future electoral cycles.
