Senator Danjuma Goje Denies Defection, Tells Supporters to Await ‘Final Order’ Amid Ticket Loss
Former Gombe State Governor and four-term Senator representing Gombe Central, Muhammad Danjuma Goje, has dismissed rumours of his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting he remains a card-carrying member of the ruling party for now, even as he continues to weigh his political options ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking to a large crowd of supporters who gathered at his residence in Gombe over the weekend, Goje declared that he has not defected to any political party and remains a full-fledged, registered member of the APC. He urged his supporters to disregard what he described as betrayers spreading false information, and asked them to remain calm, stay loyal to party leaders, and await what he called his “final order” on the way forward. The former governor promised that he would soon communicate his next political move, and pledged to remain with his supporters whether or not he holds a Senate ticket.
The speculation surrounding Goje’s political future intensified after he was omitted from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for the 2027 general election. The senator, who has represented Gombe Central since 2011, had earlier lost the APC’s senatorial primary for the district to retired police officer Mohammed Ahmed, following a consensus arrangement that his camp had publicly opposed, questioning the process that led to his exclusion.
Goje’s omission from the candidates’ list further fuelled talk of a possible move to the opposition, with reports suggesting that both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) had been lobbying and mounting pressure on him to join their ranks. Despite the growing overtures, Goje maintained that he was still consulting political stakeholders and had not reached a final decision on his next step, adding that he remained open to all options as he continued the consultation process.
The former governor also reflected on his long political journey, recalling that he had previously announced his intention to step back from elective politics seven years prior, shortly after the current Gombe State administration took office, only to be persuaded by his supporters to contest for the Senate once more.
A special assistant to the senator had earlier dismissed related reports that Goje was set to defect to the ADC, describing the claims as baseless disinformation orchestrated by his political opponents in the state. The aide pointed to Goje’s continued participation in APC national activities, including his attendance at the party’s national convention, as evidence of his ongoing commitment to the party.
As speculation continues to swirl around his political future, all eyes remain on Gombe State, where Goje’s long-standing rivalry with incumbent Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has shaped years of internal APC tension, as stakeholders await the senator’s promised announcement on the direction he intends to take ahead of the 2027 polls.
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