A coalition of stakeholders from opposition political parties in Gombe State has collapsed its structure into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the governorship ambition of Dr Jamil Isyaku Gwamna in next year's polls.
The stakeholders, drawn from major opposition parties including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Labour Party (LP), said they reviewed the outcomes of their parties' primary elections before resolving to back Gwamna's governorship bid and Tinubu's second-term ambition.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Prof Sulaiman Dankande, PDP stakeholder in Gombe State; Nura Abba, Assistant State PDP Organising Secretary; Abdullah Amtai, ADC State Organising Secretary; Dedan Mela, Executive Chairman of Billiri Local Council; and Murtala Usman Dukku, former Public Relations Officer of the PDP State Executive, said their decision was informed by Gwamna's leadership qualities and growing acceptance among residents of the state.
“Our decision to join the APC is informed by the need to support a leader who has the capacity, integrity, and clear direction for the future of Gombe State. We are fully committed to supporting Dr Gwamna to victory in the 2027 elections,” they said.
Responding, Gwamna commended the stakeholders for their collective action, describing it as a step towards protecting the overall interest of the state. “This decision shows your commitment to the development of Gombe State. I assure you that together, we will work to deliver progress and good governance for our people,” he said.
The coalition members were formally received into the APC by the party chairman in Gombe Local Council, Idris Saleh, who presented them with membership cards.
Former APC Youth Leader Emerges as NDC Candidate
Meanwhile, former National Youth Leader of the APC, Sadiq Abubakar, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the forthcoming election in Gombe State. Abubakar announced his emergence while speaking with journalists in Bauchi yesterday shortly after winning the party's governorship primary election.
His emergence came weeks after he resigned from the APC, citing worsening economic hardship and dissatisfaction with the policies and programmes of the ruling party. He said his decision to join the NDC was driven by the need to operate in a political environment that guarantees free, fair, and transparent primaries. According to him, the move would enable him to serve the people with integrity.
