Gombe APC members urge Governorship Aspirant to quit party

Supporters of a former Governorship aspirant in Gombe State, Jamilu Gwamna, have urged him to quit the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Gwamna was an aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2019 elections, but he lost the party primary and subsequently defected to the APC where he reportedly worked for the victory of the state Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya.

A supporter, Isah Kaltungo, who spoke to newsmen said that he influenced 200 other supporters in Kaltungo local government to dump the APC.

Kaltungo expressed dissatisfaction with the alleged endorsement of Yahaya as the 2023 governorship flag-bearer by APC executives in some local governments visited by the Governor.

He said, “The people willingly burnt their brooms which is a symbol of the party, over a plot by the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Gombe State to unanimously endorse the incumbent Governor of the state, Inuwa Yahaya, for the second term.

“The party stakeholders have endorsed Governor Yahaya at gatherings in the local governments of Kaltungo, Deba and Gombe. That means they are not willing to conduct primary elections. They will not provide a fair playground for other aspirants but will only adopt the governor as their candidate.

“We, therefore, urge Jamilu to leave the ruling party and join any other party. We are ready to follow him even to APGA. I believe that Jamilu is popular among the electorates and can win if a free and fair election holds because of his humanitarian services. As the managing director of a power distribution company, KEDCO, he secured a lot of jobs for Gombe State citizens.”

Kaltungo bemoaned the poor treatment allegedly meted on Gwamna by the party leadership, whom he said was a founding member of the APC.

But the Kaltungo LGA APC Chairman,  Ayuba Hassan, denied knowledge of any party member leaving the party’s fold or burning brooms in the area.

Hassan said, “Those who made those allegations might be scared about their aspirations. It is too early to judge us now. On our part, we will do justice to all party members.”

PUNCH/Mercy Chukwudiebere