Former Governor of Gombe State and Senator representing Gombe Central, Muhammad Danjuma Goje, has reaffirmed that he remains a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but has told his supporters not to vote for candidates he accused of working against his bid to secure the party’s ticket for another term in the Senate.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2026-IDRI-Masterclass.png")
Goje made the declaration while addressing supporters at his residence in Gombe on Sunday, September 27, as uncertainty continues over his political direction following his defeat in the APC senatorial primary held in May.
The former governor told his supporters not to vote for the candidates contesting the Gombe Central senatorial seat as well as the House of Representatives seats for Akko and Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituencies.
Although he did not expressly name the candidates during the address, the seats he referred to are being contested on the APC platform by retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmed for Gombe Central, Usman Bello Kumo for Akko Federal Constituency and Inuwa Garba for Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituency.
Goje said he would not dictate which candidates his supporters should vote for in the 2027 general elections, but insisted that they should not support those he believes were connected to his failure to secure the APC return ticket.
“I will not tell you who to vote for during the 2027 general elections. But I will tell you people that you should not vote for. You should not vote for any person that denied me the ticket. Both for the Senate and House of Representatives seats for Akko and Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituency,” he said, according to the report.
He added that his supporters could vote for candidates of their choice apart from those he had identified as having worked against his return to the Senate.
“You can vote any candidate of your choice but not those who work against me getting a return ticket to the Senate. Also, you should wait for my directives on the candidates that you should not vote for the governorship and State House of Assembly seats,” Goje said.
The senator portrayed the developments surrounding the primary as a betrayal by forces within the party and argued that loyalty to the APC should not automatically translate into support for individuals he believes acted against longstanding members of the party.
Using a proverbial expression to explain his position, Goje told the gathering: “A believer is not stung more than one time on the same hands, I was stung two times, do you want me to be stung again for the third time?”
His latest remarks represent a further clarification of his political position following weeks of speculation over whether he could leave the APC after losing the party’s senatorial ticket.
In August, Goje publicly denied reports that he had defected from the APC, saying he remained a member of the party while consulting political stakeholders on his next steps. His name was not on the party’s final list as candidate for the Gombe Central senatorial election, but he maintained at the time that he had not joined another political party.
The dispute has its roots in the APC senatorial primary conducted on May 18, 2026.
The party’s returning officer, Dr Habu Dahiru, declared Mohammed Ahmed winner of the direct primary after announcing that the retired police officer polled 42,785 votes, while Goje received 10,425 votes. Ahmed had earlier emerged as the preferred consensus candidate of party stakeholders in the district before the direct primary was held.
Goje’s camp disputed the process at the time. Through his Special Assistant, Ahmed Isa Kashere, the senator described results circulating during the exercise as “fake” and urged his supporters to remain calm pending what he said would be the official conclusion of the process.
Supporters of Ahmed, however, have defended the primary, maintaining that it was conducted as a direct election involving party members across Gombe Central and that the declared figures reflected the outcome of the exercise.
Goje has represented Gombe Central in the Senate since 2011, after previously serving two terms as Governor of Gombe State.
His loss of the APC ticket therefore ended, at least on the party’s current candidate list, his bid to return to the Senate on the APC platform in 2027.
The latest instruction to his supporters introduces another dimension to the internal politics of the APC in Gombe State because Goje is simultaneously maintaining his membership of the ruling party while urging his political base to withhold support from some of its candidates.
He has, however, stopped short of directing his supporters to back any particular opposition party or candidate.
Instead, he said they were free to make their own choices, subject to his instruction not to support those he associates with the loss of his senatorial ticket.
Goje also indicated that further political directives could follow concerning the governorship and State House of Assembly elections, asking his supporters to await his position on those contests.
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation
______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
