Former Gombe governor Danjuma Goje lost the APC senatorial ticket for Gombe Central to retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmed at the party primary on Wednesday.
Ahmed, who had the backing of sitting governor Inuwa Yahaya, defeated Goje in the contest. The retired police officer's victory marks a significant shift in the power dynamics within Gombe APC, where Goje had long been considered a heavyweight in the party structure.
Goje, who served two terms as governor from 2003 to 2011, has held the Gombe Central senate seat since 2015. His loss in the primary signals that the Inuwa-led faction of the party has consolidated enough control to deny the former governor the ticket for another term.
The primary result comes amid increasing tensions within the APC over control of party structures and ticket allocation in various states. In Gombe, Governor Inuwa's backing of Ahmed appears to have been decisive, suggesting his influence over party delegates at the state level remains strong.
Ahmed's emergence as the APC's senatorial candidate for Gombe Central means he will face candidates from other parties in the general election. His path to the senate will depend on his performance against opposition candidates, particularly from the People's Democratic Party, which has been competitive in Gombe.
Goje has not yet made a public statement about the primary result. Political analysts have noted that former governors who lose primary contests sometimes pursue alternative political strategies, including defection to other parties or withdrawal from electoral contests.
The APC primary in Gombe Central reflects broader patterns in Nigerian politics where sitting governors have used their control of state party machinery to influence ticket allocation in their favour. Ahmed's victory consolidates Inuwa's control heading into the general election.
