From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
Plateau is touted to be a naturally Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-controlled state until it was snatched away by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015. When democratic rule was restored in 1999, Chief Joshua Chibi Dariye, was elected under the party for eight years. Though his two term period, from 1999 to 2007, was one of the most turbulent in the history of the state, culminating in the imposition of a state of emergency and his eventual impeachment, the party survived and a retired Air Force officer, Jonah Jang, took over in May 2007.
However Jang’s political missteps in trying to impose his cousin as his successor created anger in the state and the PDP was punished with a protest vote in 2015.
The political leaning of the state has always been opposed to the conservative North. In the second republic, the then old Plateau State was governed by the Nnamdi Azikiwe-led Nigeria Peoples Party with late Chief Solomon Lar as the first civilian governor of the state. The people chose the NPP over and above the conservative National Party of Nigeria. Even during the short-lived Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s political interregnum, the people chose socialist Social Democratic Party (SDP) over the National Republican Convention (NRC). With the return of democratic rule in 1999, the people rallied round Solomon Lar, who emerged as one of the founding fathers and first national chairman of the PDP to elect a governor under the party’s platform.
This equation was to change in 2015 when after all advice to the contrary, Jang, from the northern zone, after his eight-year stint, tried to impose late GNS Pwajok as successor, thus negating the unwritten the power shift in the state, which was that the southern zone would produce his successor. Though there were a lot of loyal and trusted members of his administration, the governor adamantly stuck to his guns. The result? The APC was to wrestle power from the PDP in 2015, which saw Simon Bako Lalong winning the election of 2015.
But the PDP worked very hard in 2023 to get back its ‘birth right’ when Caleb Mutfwang was elected the sixth civilian governor of the state.
Once again, the equation is about to change, with the PDP faltering in its bid to retain the state. The crises currently rocking the party, both at the national level and in all states of the federation, is making it difficult for the party to survive beyond 2027. Today, PDP in Plateau State is at the verge of implosion with a gale of defections rocking the party. The Who is who in the state, especially those holding the umbilical cord of the party is abandoning PDP.
First to leave the party was the Director General of the Atiku/Mutfwang Campaign Organisation, Mr. Letep Dabang. Dabang’s defection left a heavy blow on PDP and the Mutfwang administration, as he is a defining figure of the party not only in Plateau, but in the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam block of PDP, where the member representing that block in the House of Representatives under APC, Yusuf Gagdi, is already leading a formidable opposition against the PDP. Dabang left PDP with thousands of supporters he had since his days as the chairman of APC in Plateau before he defected to PDP.
Closely following Dabang is the former senator representing Plateau North, Senator Istifanus Gyang. Popularly known as ID Gyang, the senator is a powerful figure in the whole of Berom land that holds a large voting population, especially in Jos South.
In his letter of resignation from PDP, effective 26th May, 2025 addressed to the Ward Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Rafan Ward, B/Ladi LGA, Gyang said the party has parted ways with basic democratic tenets and is no longer people centred.
The senator, who once represented Barkin Ladi, Riyom Federal Constituency and later Senator for Plateau North, had expressed concerns over the party’s apparent deficiencies, stating it has “parted ways with basic democratic tenets” and lacks leverage to promote Plateau State’s strategic interests.
The Senator emphasised the importance of equity, fairness, inclusivity, and good governance and equally expressed commitment to ensuring the political space remains open for all.
Senator Gyang was the Deputy Chairman Senate Committee on Defence at the 9th Assembly and was credited with good performance in both the green and red chambers of the national assembly.
In his trail was his counterpart, who represented Jos East/Jos South, Bitrus Kaze. Kaze, whose suit over PDP’s structure in Plateau, nearly truncated the election of Mutfwang in 2023, said he’s leaving PDP because he had been continually victimised by the leadership despite his record of service to the party.
According to him, since he suggested in 2015 that the gubernatorial ticket be zoned to Plateau South after Jonah Jang representing Plateau North after Joshua Dariye representing Plateau central had had their turns, “all hell was let loose” against him.
Indeed, it’s recalled attempts by Jang to impose his cousin, GNS Pwajok, as his successor, caused a major upset for PDP and its eventual loss of the 2015 election to Simon Lalong of APC. The loss of Kaze to APC ultimately meant the loss of majority members of the Redemption Camp led by former governor Jang.
Kaze, who did not announce his next political destination, however said that he could not continue to be the reason why thousands of PDP supporters are continually disenfranchised.
At the local government level, former executive chairman of Mikang Local Government area, Vuelgap Pabuet also defected to the APC with thousands of his supporters. Pabuet, who was formerly a member of the APC before joining PDP, cited personal reasons for his resignation from PDP.
A bigger blow to the PDP in Plateau is the collapse of the entire block controlled by the late former minister of the Federal Capital Territory Late Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni. This block gave the Jang led Redemption camp a run for its money and is actually said to be the root cause of the problem of PDP in Plateau state
Also in the resignation gale is Solomon Mareng, who was once elected as member representing Mangu/Bokkos federal constituency, where the current governor hails from. Maren’s resignation has taken a chunk of the Mwaghavul and Mushere votes from the ruling PDP.
Of course the PDP is no longer enjoying the support of founding fathers of the party in the state. Prominent members like former Governor Fidelis Tapgun, former Sports Minister, Damishi Sango, have all distanced themselves from the PDP.
Above all, PDP may witness a major upheaval in North Central over the recently held zonal congress. That congress, held on May 24, had already drawn flaks from notable party leaders. Prominent among them is Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who described the convention as null and void. Moreover, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had said that the convention did not comply with the provisions of Electoral Act, which stipulated that the commission must observe the convention to make it legal. Party faithful are expressing fears that what the party suffered in Plateau over the ‘no structure’ syndrome, may repeat itself on a larger scale in the North Central.
With the gale of defections and the APC controlling 22 members out of the 24-member Plateau State House of Assembly, PDP’s stranglehold on Plateau is gradually crumbling, and the fate of the party already appears sealed.