••Former Plateau Governor and PDP BoT Member Blames Wike’s Influence for Party’s Deepening Crisis.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is unlikely to resolve its internal crises before the 2027 general elections, according to Sir Fidelis Tapgun, a former Governor of Plateau State and a key PDP stakeholder. In a candid interview, Tapgun, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), attributed the party’s current predicament to the divisive influence of Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State, and the compromised leadership within the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Tapgun in an interview with DAILY TRUST, traced the roots of the PDP’s decline to the contentious 2018 presidential primary, where Wike’s ambitions for the vice-presidential ticket were thwarted by Atiku Abubakar’s emergence as the party’s candidate. “Since Wike didn’t get what he wanted, so many things went underground,” Tapgun revealed, highlighting Wike’s subsequent efforts to undermine Atiku’s campaign and consolidate his own influence within the party.
He further alleged that Wike has effectively “held key members of the NWC in his pocket,” compromising their ability to act in the party’s best interests. Tapgun pointed to the ongoing controversy surrounding the national secretary position and the continued tenure of acting national chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, as evidence of Wike’s pervasive influence.
“The problem is Wike,” Tapgun asserted, accusing him of actively destabilizing the PDP. “He is pursuing the PDP and not just Atiku.” He also argued that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is exploiting Wike’s actions to weaken the opposition. “If he is the instrument the ruling party will use to dissipate the opposition, then it should be expected,” he said.
Addressing the controversy surrounding Atiku’s presidential candidacy in 2023, Tapgun defended the party’s decision to field a northern candidate, arguing that the PDP’s zoning arrangements were independent of the APC’s.
Regarding the protracted dispute over the national secretary position, Tapgun reiterated the party’s constitutional provisions, stating that the position should rightfully be filled by someone from the South-East, following the resignation of Senator Samuel Anyawu.
Tapgun concluded with a pessimistic outlook for the PDP’s immediate future. “From my assessment, the PDP cannot get back on its feet now until after 2027 because the ruling party will not allow it,” he stated. He cautioned against any illusions of a swift recovery, emphasizing the formidable challenge the PDP faces in overcoming its internal divisions and external pressures.
PDP’s Internal Strife Dooms 2027 Hopes, Says Former Governor Tapgun
