By Yunusa Isa, Gombe
Thousands of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters flooded the streets of Gombe on Monday, calling on the party’s national leadership to guarantee a transparent and credible gubernatorial primary ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
The demonstration, which drew over 2,000 youths, served as a massive show of solidarity for the former Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’idu Ahmad Alkali (Ɗan Alkali), following his declaration for the state’s top office.
Led by the movement’s coordinator Usman Ahmad Saleh and his Secretary Mudassir Haruna Bilya, the crowd marched through the capital, reaffirming their loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu while insisting that the party’s future depends on internal democracy.
“Only justice can sustain the APC in Gombe. “Anything less than a free and fair process will jeopardize the party’s prospects. We are calling on Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya and all national stakeholders to ensure a level playing ground for every aspirant”, Saleh told reporters during the rally”
The demand for transparency comes on the heels of a fractured consensus attempt that saw Dr. Jamil Isiyaku Gwamna emerge as a “preferred” candidate, a move that sparked significant friction within the party ranks.
Heavyweights including Senator Alkali, Alhaji Umaru Kwairaga, and former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, have since rejected that outcome.
Opposing the consensus, the aspirants cited “legal breaches of the Electoral Act and party guidelines,” arguing that the process was fundamentally flawed and void.
The youth and women’s wings echoed these concerns, stating that they remain committed to a competitive primary rather than an imposed selection.
“We are ready for the polls on May 21. Gombe people deserve the right to choose who leads them into the general election”, Bilya stated.
With the highly anticipated primaries approaching, the battle for the APC ticket is now expected to be a three-way contest between Dr. Gwamna, Senator Alkali, and Professor Pantami.
Party observers note that the national office’s handling of this internal rift will be the ultimate litmus test for the APC’s unity in Gombe State moving toward the 2027.