Breaking News: Goje Rejects APC Consensus Candidate in Gombe, Insists on Due Process Ahead of 2027 Polls

Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje, representing Gombe Central Senatorial District, has rejected the consensus arrangement adopted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, setting the stage for a potential intra-party contest ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The decision follows a stakeholders’ meeting reportedly presided over by Governor Inuwa Yahaya, during which retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmadu Deba was endorsed as the party’s consensus candidate for the Gombe Central Senate seat currently held by Goje.

However, in a statement issued by his aide, Barrister Saidu Muazu Kumo, the senator distanced himself from the outcome of the meeting, describing it as limited in scope and lacking inclusivity. According to the statement, the meeting involved only the governor and a select group of aspirants, excluding other duly recognized contenders within the party.

Goje, who is seeking a record fifth term in the Senate, emphasized that the process for candidate nomination must comply strictly with the provisions of Nigeria’s Electoral Act. He noted that the law outlines only two legitimate methods for political parties to nominate candidates for submission to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He further pointed out that several aspirants had already purchased their Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, yet were not part of the consensus arrangement held at the Government House.

The statement reaffirmed that, in line with the existing electoral framework, the nomination process should be conducted through direct primary elections. Such primaries, he stressed, must be monitored by INEC and relevant security agencies on a date to be determined by the party.

Goje also warned against the imposition of candidates, stating that any such action would be inconsistent with Nigeria’s electoral laws and undermine the principles of transparency and internal democracy within political parties.

The development signals possible tensions within the Gombe APC as the party prepares for the 2027 elections, with multiple aspirants likely to push for an open and competitive primary process.