Pantami, Alkali, Goje also oppose move
From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The political tension within the Gombe State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has escalated following strong opposition to the consensus arrangement that produced Jamilu Ishaku Gwamna as the governorship flag bearer ahead of the forthcoming election.
A former APC National Youth Leader and governorship aspirant, Sadiq Shuaibu Abubakar, has publicly rejected what he described as an attempt by a select group of stakeholders to impose a candidate under the guise of consensus.
He warned that the move undermines internal party democracy and disenfranchises the wider membership of the party across the state, insisting that only direct primaries can guarantee credibility, fairness and legitimacy.
“We cannot afford to mortgage the future of our party and the will of our people to the decisions of a few individuals. Gombe APC belongs to all its members, not a select group,” he stated.
Abubakar maintained that he would not accept any arrangement that bypasses due process, stressing that any attempt to sideline aspirants or manipulate the nomination process would be resisted within the confines of democratic engagement.
He called on the national leadership of the APC to urgently intervene and enforce strict adherence to party guidelines to safeguard unity and electoral strength in Gombe State.
In a related development, key stakeholders, including former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isah Ali Pantami, Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali, and former Gombe State Governor Danjuma Goje, have also reportedly rejected the consensus arrangement, aligning with calls for a more open and competitive primary process.
Their stance is seen as further weakening attempts to consolidate a single consensus candidate while intensifying pressure on the party’s leadership to revert to direct primaries as the preferred method of candidate selection.
Party observers say the unfolding situation signals a widening internal rift within the Gombe APC structure, with implications for cohesion ahead of the elections.
