A youth group associated with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State has accused Governor Yahaya Inuwa of supporting Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), during the general elections. The group’s spokesperson, Salisu Abdulrazaq, issued a statement alleging that Governor Inuwa supported his Northeast brother, Atiku, which is considered an act against the APC.
The group highlighted the fact that Governor Inuwa lost his own polling unit to Atiku during the elections. However, in subsequent weeks, he not only won his polling unit back but also secured victory in the entire state, defeating his closest rival, Jibrin Barde of the PDP. This raised questions about how Governor Inuwa managed to mobilize resources and support to secure such a landslide victory for his own re-election while failing to deliver his party’s presidential candidate in a state where the APC had strong support.
The group compared Governor Inuwa’s situation to that of Senator Goje, who faced disciplinary action for allegedly engaging in anti-party activities after losing his polling unit. They argued that if disciplinary measures were taken against Senator Goje, the same measures should be applied to Governor Inuwa for failing to deliver his polling unit to the APC’s presidential candidate, and instead allegedly supporting Atiku.
The youth group also criticized Governor Inuwa for the APC’s loss of two out of three senatorial seats in the state to the PDP. They suggested that it was due to the people’s support for Senator Goje that he was able to retain his seat. They further expressed their discontent with the governor’s leadership, highlighting the contradiction between him being referred to as the leader and father of the party while allegedly engaging in actions that go against the party’s interests.
The group pointed out that Governor Inuwa successfully rallied the APC to win 20 out of the 24 seats in the state House of Assembly. However, they raised concerns about the governor’s political approach, stating that it appeared to be focused on serving his own interests. They also noted the stark contrast in the governor’s demeanor before the Governorship and Presidential elections in the state.
The APC in Gombe State faced criticism for not adequately supporting the presidential candidacy of Senator Bola Tinubu, despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s significant victory in the state during the 2019 elections. The group claimed that Governor Inuwa’s alleged diversionary measures, such as suspending and expelling prominent APC members in the state, were attempts to shift attention away from his own alleged anti-party activities.
The youth group called on the national headquarters of the APC to investigate Governor Inuwa’s actions and take appropriate disciplinary measures if warranted. They emphasized the need for fairness and consistency within the party, stating that if Senator Goje faced consequences for losing his polling unit, Governor Inuwa should face similar measures for allegedly supporting Atiku in the Gombe State elections
