Key aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the Gombe Central Senatorial District, have intensified consultations across communities and traditional institutions, as political activities gather pace ahead of the 2027 elections.
In whay supporters describe as a “power shift” to the Yamaltu-Deba axis, the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Usman Bello, defended the agitation as a democratic and moral demand aimed at giving other parts of Gombe Central the opportunity to produce leadership after decades of dominance by Akko Local Government Area.
Notably, the Gombe Central Senatorial District is made up of Akko and Tamaltu Deba Local Government Areas in Gombe State and the current occupant of the senate seat is former Governor Dan human Goje, from Akko, who has had four terms in the Senate.
Speaking during consultations at traditional palaces ahead of the APC primaries, Bello said the overwhelming reception his team received reflected acceptance of their message and grassroots approach to politics.
“We have not expected anything short of what we have received because we believe, as students of politics, you should pursue your ambition by playing the game according to the rules,” Bello said.
According to him, political aspirations should be marketed directly to the people rather than imposed through influence from political elites.
The lawmaker maintained that inclusiveness and fairness were at the heart of the agitation for power rotation within Gombe Central.
“What is most important is inclusivity. What is important is appreciating the existence of other people. What is equally important is giving other people the opportunity to display their talents. Nobody has a monopoly of knowledge,” Bello said.
Bello argued that after Akko Local Government had held the senatorial seat for nearly two decades, it was only fair for leadership to shift to other areas within the district.
The APC chieftain dismissed fears of violence during the party primaries, insisting that popularity at the grassroots remained the ultimate determinant of electoral victory.
Also speaking during the consultations, former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ahmed, promised to prioritise justice, fairness and inclusiveness if elected to represent the senatorial district.
Ahmed said “the consultations had shown that the people were yearning for a leadership style anchored on collective participation and equal opportunity.”
“Justice, fair play and inclusiveness. Not an entity. Everybody is a stakeholder. Everybody is going to be part of this. There is no monopoly,” he said.
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Ahmed expressed optimism about his political chances, describing the current period as divinely ordained.
Another APC aspirant, Inuwa Garba, projected confidence that the APC would sweep all elective positions in Gombe Central and across the state in the 2027 elections.
Garba said ongoing consultations across the district were aimed at mobilising support for the party and consolidating the achievements of the current administration.
“By God’s grace, we are all doing our best to make sure that all APC seats in the senatorial zone in Nigeria are won in the 2027 elections,” he said.
Praising Governor Yahaya’s administration, Garba described Gombe as one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing states due to strategic governance and security management.
“If you can see what the Governor of Gombe State is doing, you will have no reason to refuse to key into the process, projects and programmes being undertaken in Gombe State,” he said.
According to him, the APC primaries would be peaceful and credible, revealing that his own candidacy had already received broad consensus support within the party.
