Members of APC in Gombe burns brooms, urge gov aspirant to quit party
Some supporters of a former governorship aspirant in Gombe state Jamilu Gwamna, have urged him to quit the governing All Progressives Congress APC).
Gwamna was an aspirant for the state’s number one seat before be lost in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries leading to 2019 elections, this led to his defection to the APC where it was assumed he contributed to the success of Governor Muhammadu Yahaya the incumbent Governor.
According to the supporters, Gwamna should quit and join any other opposition party to actualise his ambition, adding that the overwhelming endorsements of the current leadership by party leadership across the state means there may not be credible primary polls.
Isah Kaltungo, who spoke to newsmen in the state on Wednesday, revealed that he influenced 200 other supporters in Kaltungo local government to dump the APC.
Kaltungo expressed dissatisfaction over some local government’s including Kaltungo where the governor visited, and the party executives openly declared Yahaya as their candidate for 2023.
He said, “The (people) willingly burnt their brooms which is a symbol of the party, over a plot by the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe state to unanimously endorse the incumbent governor of the state Inuwa Yahaya for second term.
“The party stakeholders have endorsed Governor Inuwa Yahaya at gatherings in the local governments of Kaltungo, Deba and Gombe. That means they are not willing to conduct primary election. They will not provide fair playing grounds for other aspirants but will only adopt the governor as their candidate.
“We therefore urge Jamilu to leave the ruling party and join any other party. We are ready to follow him even to APGA. I believe that Jamilu is popular among the electorates and can win if free and fair election holds because of his humanitarian services, as managing director of a power distribution company, KEDCO, he secured a lot of jobs for Gombe state citizens.”
Kaltungo bemoaned the poor treatment meted on Gwamna by the party leadership, whom he said was a founding member, “being one time governorship candidate of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) that merged with two other parties to form the APC and the humiliation of Senator Danjuma Goje who led Yahaya to victory in 2019,” Kaltungo said.
When contacted by correspondents on the allegation raised by members, Kaltungo local government APC chairman, Ayuba Hassan denied knowledge of any party member leaving it fold or burning brooms in the area.
The party chairman vowed that the party in Kaltungo local government is determined to treat all members and those wishing to aspire for elective offices justly.
Hassan said, “Those who made those allegations might be scared about their aspirations. It is too early to judge us now. On our part, we will do justice to all party members.”
