Goje Reaffirms APC Membership, Urges Supporters to Remain Loyal
* Says empowerment programmes will continue despite Senate exit
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
Former Gombe State Governor and senator currently representing Gombe Central in the 10th Senate, Muhammad Danjuma Goje, has assured his constituents that his empowerment programmes will continue despite his decision not to return to the Senate in the 11th National Assembly.
Goje, according to a statement issued on Monday and signed by his Special Assistant, Alhaji Ahmed Isa Kashere, gave the assurance when thousands of his supporters from Gombe Central and surrounding communities converged on his residence in Gombe.
The statement explained that the supporters were in Goje’s residence to seek clarification over speculation that he was planning to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
The former governor, who has represented Gombe Central in the Senate for four terms, used the gathering to reaffirm his continued membership of the APC, urging his supporters to remain loyal to the party and cooperate with its leadership.
Goje, a founding member of the APC, said his decision not to seek another Senate term should not be interpreted as an indication that he would abandon the party.
Goje said: “I have not defected to any political party. As a founding member of the APC, I remain a member of the party,” he said.
“Given my years of service and the positions I have held in the country, it would be inappropriate for me, at this stage of my life, to decamp to another party simply to contest for the Senate.
“However, it would have been a different ball game if I were contesting for a higher position.”
The senator, who has spent almost 45 years in active politics, said his decision reflected his assessment of his political journey and the offices he had occupied over the years.
He therefore appealed to his supporters not to be distracted by speculation about his political future, insisting that the APC remained the political platform he helped build.
He said: “Therefore, I am urging all my supporters across Gombe and beyond to cooperate with our leaders and remain loyal to the party.
“This is our house. We built it, and we will continue to work for its success.”
Goje also directly addressed the concerns of his supporters over the future of his various empowerment initiatives, assuring them that his withdrawal from the Senate race would not affect programmes designed to improve the welfare of his constituents.
“I want to assure you that my empowerment programmes will continue whether I am in the Senate or not,” he declared.
The assurance appeared aimed at allaying concerns among his supporters who had gathered in large numbers following reports that he might be considering a political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former governor also reflected on his lengthy political career, saying he had contested elections eight times from the Second Republic to date and had remained successful in all of them.
Goje said: “Allah SWT has seen me through in politics and beyond.
“I have held many positions in this country, and not many people have had the kind of privilege I have had.”
He recalled that his political career had taken him through the state House of Assembly, the governorship of Gombe State, the federal cabinet and the National Assembly.
He said: “During these over four decades, I was elected a member of a state House of Assembly and served as a two-term governor.
“I also won election to the Senate five times, the first being during the Abacha era. I served as a minister between 1999 and 2001. Alhamdulillah.”
Goje further disclosed that he had initially decided to retire from active politics in 2019, but his supporters persuaded him to return to electoral politics ahead of the 2023 elections.
“In 2019, I told my people at Pantami Stadium that I would not contest any political position again.
“But they prevailed on me to contest for the Senate again. They bought the form for me and told me not to come for the campaign because they would campaign for me,” he stated.
According to him, the 2023 election demonstrated the strength of the relationship between him and his constituents, as he emerged victorious despite not personally campaigning.
“I won even when I did not come out to campaign during the electioneering period.
“I remain grateful to Allah and my people for their loyalty and for believing in me,” he said.
The gathering followed growing political speculation in Gombe over Goje’s next political move as preparations intensify for the 2027 elections.
The former governor’s reaffirmation of his APC membership is expected to provide some clarity to his supporters and party stakeholders in Gombe Central.
This is particularly against the backdrop of increasing political realignments ahead of the next general election.
Goje’s declaration also underscored his continued influence within the APC in Gombe State, despite his decision not to seek another term in the Senate.
The senator urged his supporters to maintain unity and continue supporting the party, stressing that his political journey was not solely defined by his occupancy of elective office.
He reiterated that he would remain committed to his constituents and to the political structure he helped establish.
Goje’s political career spans several decades and includes service at state and federal levels.
His decision to remain in the APC, coupled with his pledge to continue his empowerment programmes outside the Senate, is likely to shape political calculations in Gombe ahead of the 2027 elections.