TPM Te Tai Tonga electorate committee call for John Tamihere to stand down as party president

Monday, 3 November 2025

A petition calling for John Tamihere to stand down as Te Pāti Māori president has been pushed by members of the party.

Te Pāti Māori Te Tai Tonga electorate instagram page published a post calling for their president’s resignation on Monday. “Leadership within Te Ao Māori is sacred - when it strays from tika, pono and aroha, it must be held to account.

“The people are watching. The kaupapa deserves better.”

The post has a link to a petition.

Internal rifts between the party’s MPs, executive and electorates have boiled over in recent weeks, with the party now trying to suspend Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi.

Her supporters, including her son - the former Te Pāti Māori vice president and Toitū Te Tiriti leader - Eru Kapa-Kinga, have said Tamihere and co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer have targeted her because they felt challenged.

Last week the Iwi Chairs Forum took the unprecedented step of deciding to intervene to try to sort out the internal strife in the party.

Stuff has contacted Tamihere and Te Tai Tonga MP Tākura Ferris for comment.