Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje, representing Gombe Central Senatorial District, has rejected a consensus arrangement adopted by the Gombe State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections. The party stakeholders had earlier endorsed retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmadu Deba as the consensus candidate for the seat currently held by Goje.
Goje Questions Legitimacy of Consensus Process
Reacting through a statement issued by his aide, Barr. Saidu Muazu Kumo, the senator described the process as lacking inclusiveness. He insisted that not all aspirants were carried along during the meeting presided over by Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya.
The statement noted that the meeting which produced the consensus candidate did not reflect full participation of all interested contenders within the party. “It did not include all duly recognised aspirants within the party,” the statement said.
Senator Insists on Compliance with Electoral Law
Goje maintained that the Electoral Act provides clear procedures for the nomination of candidates, which political parties must follow strictly ahead of elections. “These methods must be strictly adhered to in order to ensure legality and transparency in the electoral process,” the statement read.
He also pointed out that several aspirants who had purchased nomination forms were not part of the consensus arrangement, raising concerns over fairness and internal democracy.
Push for Direct Primaries as Party Tensions Rise
The senator further argued that party nominations should be determined through direct primaries, as provided under the electoral framework and supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). “In accordance with the extant electoral framework, the nomination process shall be conducted through direct primary elections, to be duly monitored by INEC and relevant security agencies,” the statement added.
Goje warned that any attempt to impose candidates outside established legal provisions would be inconsistent with Nigeria’s electoral laws, as internal tensions continue to build within the APC in Gombe state.
APC Consensus Candidate Emerges in Borno
In a related development, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno has formally presented Engr. Mustafa Gubio as the consensus governorship candidate of the APC in the state to Vice President Kashim Shettima. This development is seen as part of early political alignment within the state.
