Gombe APC Primaries Split As Yahaya Hails Peaceful Conduct

Governor of Gombe State has praised the conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives direct primaries in the state, describing the exercise as peaceful, transparent, and orderly, even as some party members rejected the outcome and alleged irregularities.

The governor made the remarks on Saturday after participating in the exercise at his Jekadafari Ward in Gombe Local Government Area.

He called for unity among party members following the contest, stressing the need for cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“We are one big family, and there is no victor, no vanquished. I urge everyone to cooperate and unite for the success of our great party in the forthcoming general elections,” he said.

The governor also commended the election committee, security agencies, and APC stakeholders for what he described as a credible and transparent process across the state.

Similarly, the chairman of the National Primary Election Committee for Gombe State, Alhaji Musa Kafur, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise.

At the Jekadafari Ward centre, the presiding officer, Yahaya Ibrahim Makeri, declared Saddam Bello winner of the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency ticket after defeating Zakariyya Jidda.

However, tensions emerged despite the official endorsement of the process, as some party members across several centres rejected the outcome, alleging manipulation and lack of transparency.

An APC member from Jekadafari Ward, Adamu Sa’adu, accused party officials of imposing figures and denying members a fair voting process.

“They have only dictated the numbers they wanted and there was no transparent voting. If this is what happened across the centres, then our country still has a lot to do,” he said.

The APC in Gombe had earlier adopted a consensus arrangement for all elective positions, but following protests from some aspirants, the party opted for direct primaries to resolve disputes.