- Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje rejected the APC consensus arrangement that backed Mohammed Ahmadu Deba for the Gombe Central senatorial seat ahead of 2027
- Goje, through his aide Muhammad Kumo, faulted the process, saying it excluded several duly recognised aspirants and lacked inclusiveness.
- The senator insisted that party nominations must follow the Electoral Act and be decided through INEC-monitored direct primaries, as tensions rose within the APC in Gombe state.
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The Senator representing Gombe Central Senatorial District, Muhammad Danjuma Goje, has rejected a consensus arrangement reportedly adopted by the Gombe state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections.
Party stakeholders had earlier endorsed retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ahmadu Deba, as the consensus candidate for the senatorial seat currently held by Goje.
The decision was reached during a meeting presided over by Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, Daily Trust reported.
Goje questions the legitimacy of the consensus process. Reacting through a statement issued by his aide, Barr. Saidu Muazu Kumo, the senator, described the process as lacking inclusiveness, insisting that not all aspirants were carried along.
The statement noted that the meeting, which produced the consensus candidate, did not reflect the full participation of all interested contenders within the party.
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, Leadership reported. “These methods must be strictly adhered to 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.