In a strategic move that solidifies his control over Gombe State’s political landscape, Governor Inuwa Yahaya has officially thrown his weight behind Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna as the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship race. The decision effectively shuts out Senator Danjuma Goje from securing a return ticket to the Senate, extending the bitter rivalry between the two political heavyweights that has simmered since the 2023 elections.
The announcement was made during a stakeholders’ meeting where the party also unveiled a full slate of consensus candidates for other key positions. Goje, a veteran four-term senator who had sought re-election, recently joined a Senate delegation that petitioned President Bola Tinubu for automatic tickets for lawmakers—a request that was ultimately rejected.
Beyond the governorship, the APC has selected Mohammed Ahmadu Deba for Gombe Central Senate, Jerry Damara for Gombe South, while Governor Yahaya himself is set to contest for Gombe North Senate. For the House of Representatives, the party endorsed Usman Bello Kumo (Akko), Inuwa Garba (Yamaltu/Deba), Ali Isa (Balanga/Billiri), Fatima Binta Bello (Kaltungo/Shongom), Saddam Bello (Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye), and Jamilu Shabewa (Dukku/Nafada).
The consensus has already sparked controversy, with former Minister Sheikh Isa Pantami—who was also a governorship aspirant—publicly rejecting the arrangement. As the APC gears up to rally support for its chosen candidates, further reactions are anticipated from other aggrieved party members across the state.