From: Segun Babatunde in Gombe
Stakeholders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Gombe Central Senatorial zone have declared that Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya stands as the party’s leader and not Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje.
Muhammad Danjuma Goje (APC), a former Governor of the State who currently represents Gombe central zone (Akko and Yamaltu-Deba LGA’s) in the Senate, have recently been receiving political bashing from the State Governor’s faction of the party after Senator Goje had long been recognized as the State party leader including the Governor himself.
Speakers at the Stakeholders meeting, held in Deba, Yamaltu-Deba LGA, Sunday afternoon, unanimously passed a vote of confidence on Governor Yahaya and vowed never to allow anybody humiliate the Governor.
The speakers included, the Chairman of Yamaltu-Deba LGA, Hon Shuaibu Umar Galadima, former Minister of Transport, Idris Abdullahi Umar, member representing Akko Federal Constituency, Honourable Usman Bello Kumo, member representing Yamaltu-Deba Federal Constituency, Hon Ahmed Abubakar Yunus, Speaker of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Hon Abubakar Luggerewo and an APC stalwart, Abubakar Habu Muazu.
According to the convener of the meeting, Abubakar Habu Muazu, the powerful PDP youth leader during Senator Goje’s PDP tenure as Governor, Senator Goje must stop deceiving himself as the father of politics in Gombe State.
According to him, Inuwa became Governor through a clean and transparent manner, unlike Goje’s electoral victory as Governor in 2003 which was marred by so much manipulations.
He confessed playing many negative roles during Goje’s tenure as Governor due to youthful exuberance but that since he got unhooked from Goje’s trap, he is now a better informed person.
“I’m happy to be out of Goje’s trap. I have said it before and I will repeat it again, I am sorry for my past misdeeds while together with Goje and I have believe God has forgiven me”, he said.
Stressing why Goje cannot be the leader of the party, Habu said, ” Goje has fought with all known prominent politicians and eminent persons of Gombe State whenever his selfish interest is at stake”.
He added that, “Governor Inuwa has remained loyal to Goje right after the 2019 election and among many other ways, was that he gave Goje his cabinet list, appointed his daughter and son in-law in the cabinet yet, Goje’s quest for power is insatiable”.
Speaking also, member representing Akko Federal Constituency, Usman Bello Kumo, said the stakeholders mobilized the meeting without Governor Inuwa’s financial contribution to rally support for the Governor and unite the party.
” Inuwa Yahaya remains the leader of the party just the way Yobe Governor is the leader in Yobe State even with the Senate President from Yobe State. The same with Plateau or Lagos States who have key Federal Government positions from their States. Any APC member in Gombe State who cannot be loyal to Governor Inuwa Yahaya as party leader should look for his own state elsewhere”, Usman Bello stressed.
At the end of the meeting, member representing Yamaltu-Deba federal constituency, Ahmed Abubakar Yunus, read the communiqué of the stakeholders who passed a vote of confidence on Governor Inuwa Yahaya and pledged their unalloyed loyalty and support to him.
