Former Gombe State Governor and Senator representing Gombe Central, Danjuma Goje, has told his supporters that he remains a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, but will not tell them who to support in the 2027 general election.
Goje spoke at his home in Gombe, where he hosted a packed hall of supporters. Men and women in traditional dress filled the room, with many standing or sitting close together as the former governor addressed them.
The meeting came after weeks of uncertainty over Goje’s next political move following his failure to secure the APC ticket for another term in the Senate.
Retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmed emerged as the APC candidate for Gombe Central. Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya supported the outcome.
Goje had earlier rejected a consensus arrangement that produced Ahmed as the party’s choice. He argued that the process did not include many of the people who had obtained forms to contest the primary.
Goje is among the politicians who helped build the APC. He has spent nearly 45 years in politics and has won all eight elections he has contested since the Second Republic.
He served as a minister between 1999 and 2001 before becoming governor of Gombe State in 2003. He won a second term and remained governor until 2011.
That same year, Goje moved to the Senate and has represented Gombe Central ever since.
His next political move is now being closely watched across Gombe State. Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress have been calling on him to leave the APC and take his supporters with him.
Goje has a strong political base across Gombe’s three senatorial districts, making his position important ahead of the 2027 election.
The former governor, however, has indicated that he does not want to leave the APC simply to retain his Senate seat. He said it would not be right for someone of his age and with his political record to move from one party to another just to remain in the Senate.
He added that seeking a higher political office would be a different matter.
Goje also assured his supporters that his empowerment programmes would continue whether or not he returns to the Senate.
He urged them to remain calm, stay loyal to the party leadership and wait for further direction from him.
With the 2027 general election approaching, Goje’s decision not to publicly endorse any candidate leaves his large political following without a clear voting instruction from their longtime leader.
His continued membership of the APC may keep the party from losing his support base, but his refusal to name a candidate leaves open the question of where his political influence will be felt when voters head to the polls in 2027.
