Goje’s many battles to retain his seat

A former two-terms Governor of Gombe state, Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje, has lost the ticket to return to the National Assembly on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC). Goje has been representing the Gombe Central Senatorial District since 2011, after his two terms as governor of the state. In a keenly contested primary election, […]

A former two-terms Governor of Gombe state, Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje, has lost the ticket to return to the National Assembly on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).

Goje has been representing the Gombe Central Senatorial District since 2011, after his two terms as governor of the state.

In a keenly contested primary election, the Gombe State APC House of Representatives and Senate Primary Elections Committee has declared DCP Mohammed Ahmed (Rtd) as the duly elected candidate for the Gombe Central Senatorial District seat.

Presenting the result before newsmen on Tuesday, Chairman of the Committee, Mallam Labiru Musa Kafur, said in the direct primary election conducted on Monday across Akko and Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Areas, two LGAs that make up the Gombe Central Senatorial District, DCP Ahmed scored 89,415 votes in to clinched APC’s ticket for the district.

Political observers stated that the quest to dislodge Goje from the Senate started even before the 2023 elections, when Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya attempted to deny Goje the ticket to return to the senate, but elders of the party at the national level were able to broker peace, which enabled Goje to contest and subsequently won the election.

However, immediately after the election, Inuwa Yahaya and the APC accused Goje of anti-party activities during the presidential and National Assembly elections, which led the party’s candidate to fail woefully across two senatorial districts and five federal constituencies.

Immediately after the election, Inuwa Yahaya and the state chapter of the APC accused Goje of anti-party activities during the 2023 elections, which they alleged led the party’s candidates to fail woefully in the two senatorial districts and five federal constituencies.

For instance, in 2019, the APC cleared all three Senate seats and six House of Representatives seats; however, after the 2023 elections, only Goje won massively, while the current Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Usman Bello Kumo, narrowly retained his seat at the Akko Federal Constituency.

While the governor’s camp is claiming that Goje worked against their principal during the 2023 elections, those with the former governor are of the view that Governor Yahaya’ policies may have been strong factors.

Goje was subsequently suspended  from his ward level in Kashere and local government level in Akko LGA, as well as the state level of the APC. A development that led to a prolonged legal battle, which Goje subsequently won in court.

Therefore, it was expected that they would forgive each other and face the 2027 elections united. However, Governor Yahaya was said to devise another strategy to ‘deal’ with Goje.

Two delegations from Gombe Central Senatorial District, which comprises Akko and Yamaltu/Deba local government areas, at the instance of the governor paid him a ‘solidarity’ visit at the Government House and appealed that the Senate seat should be zoned to Yamaltu/Deba LGA in 2027.

In response to their request, Governor Yahaya assured them that their demand would be handled with positive disposition and openly pledged support for their quest to produce the next Senator for Gombe Central in 2027.

Political pundits stated that Goje’s faith was sealed on May 3, after a stakeholders meeting, when Governor Yahaya announced DCP Mohammed Ahmed (Rtd) as the APC’s consensus candidate for the Gombe Central Senatorial District, a seat currently occupied by Goje.

Therefore, it didn’t come as a surprise to many residents of the state when on Monday, the Returning Officer for the Senate Primary Election for Gombe Central, Dr Habu Dahiru, announced DCP Ahmed as the flagbearer of party’ for the 2027 general elections.

But Goje, in a statement issued late Monday through his Special Assistant, Ahmed Isa Kashere, disputed the outcome of the senatorial primary election for Gombe Central, describing the result announced by Dr Dahiru as fake, saying the authentic results will be released in Abuja.

However, while addressing newsmen on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Gombe State House of Representatives and Senate Primary Elections Committee, Mallam Labiru Musa Kafur, debunked Goje’s claim and reaffirmed that DCP Ahmed (Rtd) is the duly elected APC’s candidate for the Gombe Central Senatorial District seat.

He said  DCP Ahmed scored 89,415 votes to clinch APC’s ticket and contest for the 2027 general elections.

Political observers stated that, with the declaration of the official results by the Kafur’s led committee, which was mandated by the APC National Secretariat to conduct the election, Goje may have officially lost out in his bid to clinch the party’s ticket to return to the National Assembly.