Former Gombe State Governor and Senator representing Gombe Central, Muhammad Danjuma Goje, has reaffirmed his loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC), but told his supporters not to vote for candidates he accused of working against his return to the Senate.
Goje made the statement on Sunday while addressing supporters at his residence in Gombe State.
Although the senator did not mention the APC by name, he urged his supporters not to support the party’s candidates for the Gombe Central Senatorial District and the House of Representatives seats for Akko and Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituencies.
The APC’s candidate for Gombe Central is DCP Mohammed Ahmed (Rtd), while Usman Bello Kumo and Inuwa Garba are the party’s candidates for Akko and Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituencies respectively.
Goje said the decision to deny him the Senate ticket amounted to a betrayal by individuals within the party whom he accused of acting against the interests of his supporters and the wider Gombe State.
He urged his supporters to remain loyal to the APC but not to individuals whom he said worked against his political interests.
“A believer is not stung more than one time on the same hands, I was stung two times, do you want me to be stung again for the third time?” Goje asked his supporters.
The former governor said he would not dictate which alternative candidates his supporters should vote for in the 2027 general elections.
“I will not tell you who to vote for during the 2027 general elections. But I will tell you people that you should not vote for. You should not vote for any person that denied me the ticket. Both for the Senate and House of Representatives seats for Akko and Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituency,” he said.
He added that his supporters could vote for candidates of their choice, provided they did not support those he accused of frustrating his return to the Senate.
Goje also asked his supporters to await further directives concerning the governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
“You can vote any candidate of your choice but not those who work against me getting a return ticket to the Senate. Also, you should wait for my directives on the candidates that you should not vote for the governorship and State House of Assembly seats,” he said.
Goje’s Senate Bid
Goje has represented Gombe Central Senatorial District since 2011, following his tenure as governor of Gombe State.
His latest bid for the APC’s senatorial ticket, however, ended in a disputed primary election held in May.
The Gombe State APC House of Representatives and Senate Primary Elections Committee declared DCP Mohammed Ahmed (Rtd) the winner of the primary and the party’s candidate for the Gombe Central senatorial seat.
The development has since created tension within the party’s political structure in the senatorial district, with Goje now publicly directing his supporters on the candidates he does not want them to support.
As of the time of filing the report, efforts to obtain reactions from the Gombe State chapter of the APC and the three candidates named by Goje were unsuccessful.
The latest development adds another dimension to the political contest ahead of the 2027 general elections in Gombe State.
