Goje Camp Splits in Akko as Supporters Reject ADC Candidates’ Endorsement

Goje Camp Splits in Akko as Supporters Reject ADC Candidates’ Endorsement

By Moses Musa

A fresh disagreement has emerged among supporters of Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State over an endorsement of African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidates for the 2027 elections.

Some individuals who identify as supporters of Goje had endorsed Barrister Idris Abdullahi for the Gombe Central Senatorial District and Dr Bashir Abdullahi Gaddafi for the Akko Federal Constituency seat. However, another group of Goje supporters has rejected the endorsement, saying it does not represent the collective position of the senator’s support base in Akko.

The development comes days after Goje told supporters that he remained a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but urged them not to support candidates he accused of working against his return to the Senate.

Reports on the address said the directive covered the APC candidate for Gombe Central as well as the party’s candidates for Akko and Yamaltu/Deba federal constituencies.

Speaking on behalf of the group after its meeting, Barrister Saidu Muazu Kumo reaffirmed their loyalty to Goje but said support for the senator should not be interpreted as automatic endorsement of every candidate or political position advanced by individuals within his support structure.

Kumo said the group was particularly concerned about attempts to portray the ADC endorsement as a unanimous decision by Goje supporters across Akko.

“We are with Senator Muhammadu Danjuma Goje, but we cannot accept the imposition of candidates whom we believe do not possess the character, discipline and proper upbringing expected of someone seeking to represent the people,” Kumo said.

He argued that political loyalty does not prevent supporters from holding independent views or scrutinising candidates based on their character, conduct, credibility and capacity to represent their constituents.

The group also maintained that the endorsement of Idris Abdullahi and Bashir Abdullahi Gaddafi by some individuals should not be presented as the decision of the entire Goje support base in Akko.

Kumo urged political stakeholders and members of the public to distinguish between statements made by individual supporters and positions reached through broader consultation.

He also appealed for restraint and dialogue, urging supporters to manage their differences through democratic engagement rather than confrontation.

The disagreement adds another layer to the evolving political realignment around Goje following his loss of the APC ticket for Gombe Central in the party’s May primary, where retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmed emerged with 42,785 votes against Goje’s 10,425.

Goje subsequently rejected the APC’s consensus arrangement for the senatorial seat, with his aide, Kumo, arguing that the process did not involve all recognised aspirants.

The latest development therefore leaves the position of Goje’s wider support network in Akko contested, with different groups claiming to speak for the senator’s supporters ahead of the 2027 elections.