Former Plateau State Governor Fidelis Tapgun has expressed doubts about the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) chances of winning a positive ruling from the Supreme Court.
Tapgun told Radio France International’s Hausa Service that he had warned his party about previous court verdicts against the PDP’s structure ahead of the 2023 general elections. Unfortunately, his advice was ignored.
Tapgun pointed out that the Supreme Court appeared to be an insurmountable hurdle for the PDP. Citing the recent cases where the Court of Appeal ousted all PDP lawmakers at the National and state assemblies due to perceived structural deficiencies, he emphasized that even Governor Caleb Mutfwang faced a similar fate.
Having urged Mutfwang to resign recently, Tapgun shed light on the internal strife within the PDP. He stated, “We’ve faced internal crises since 2021, attempting to resolve them unsuccessfully. The party’s national headquarters showed reluctance, seemingly favouring certain individuals over others.”
Reflecting on the 2021 local government election, Tapgun emphasised the party’s failure to address internal concerns, which culminated in a primary conducted by the North Central Zonal Chairman, which ended in Mutfwang receiving the governorship ticket. Mutfwang was confidence in his legal team’s capacity to fight the lawsuit, despite Tapgun’s cautions regarding existing court judgements.
“I categorically told him it wouldn’t work, and I refused to campaign for or against him,” Tapgun asserted, highlighting the underlying challenges that could jeopardize the PDP’s standing in the upcoming legal battles.
As the PDP faces a precarious situation, Tapgun’s foresight raises questions about the party’s ability to navigate the legal intricacies and emerge unscathed from the impending Supreme Court judgments.
