Journalist and Reporter Duncan Garner reports on his social media page...

John Tamihere loves the word empowerment. Right now he looks less like a champion of the people and more like the architect of his own party’s collapse.

What Tariana Turia built has been twisted into a tangled empire centred on JT, his family, and his loyalists. She would be horrified at what her movement has become. The walls are closing in fast.

Here is the real question. How democratic is Te Pati Maori when almost every lever of power is held by people tied directly to JT?

Because the expulsion of Takuta Ferris and Mariameno Kapa Kingi does not pass the sniff test. It looks like a jack up. A kangaroo court. Internal rules ignored. People missing from the room. Numbers that make no sense. And if these sackings are challenged, they may not stand up.

They needed around 36 votes across all levels. They pushed it through with 11. Members in electorates across the country were never asked for their view. That is not democracy. That is control.

Now both MPs will fight their expulsions and others are preparing to challenge JT’s leadership. Two more MPs, Kaipara and Hana Rawhiti Clarke, are considering joining the revolt. If that happens every MP will have broken away from the leadership. What does that tell you?

This is a debacle. Why would anyone vote for this mess?

Over the weekend I was contacted by people inside the party who spelled out just how deep JT’s influence runs.

• Chair of Tamaki Makaurau works for Waipareira

• Co leader is married to JT’s daughter

• Co chair of Ikaroa Rawhiti works for Waipareira and voted for the expulsion without member approval

• Chair of Te Tai Hauauru is JT’s sister in law

• Co chair of Waiariki is a Waititi

• The wahine vice president is a Flavell and works for Waipareira

• The party secretary also works for Waipareira

• At the top sits JT. His son in law Rawiri Waititi as co leader. His daughter running the party as general manager.

Almost every position that matters connects back to him. Waikato, Te Tai Tokerau, and Te Tai Tonga are the only seats outside his influence. Those last two are exactly where the expelled MPs are from.

No wonder members are breaking ranks. Branches calling for his resignation. MPs openly challenging him. These are not cracks. These are fault lines.

And here is the danger. If a political movement becomes centred on one man’s network and one man’s authority then the kaupapa dies.

My biggest criticism is simple. They have delivered nothing for Maori in five years. No wins. No real progress. Plenty of theatre and tantrums. A haka seen by millions does not put food on one whanau table.

Then there is the triple power block.

Head of Waipareira.

Head of the Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency.

President of Te Pati Maori.

That is not leadership. That is total control.

People are now asking how one man can sit on top of taxpayer funded agencies while leading a political party trying to form governments. Add the family ties and the optics are terrible. Trust is draining away.

Are voters sticking around? I doubt it.

The message from the grassroots is clear.

John. Step back. Let the light in.

If he does not, Te Pati Maori will not fall because of its enemies. It will fall because of the man who built his empire inside it.

If they survive this, it will be a miracle. The damage is deep and the cracks are spreading.