Former Gombe State Governor and Senator representing Gombe Central, Danjuma Goje, has dismissed reports that he has defected from the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Goje, who has been at the centre of speculation about his political future after losing the APC senatorial ticket, said he was still consulting with political stakeholders before deciding on his next move.
Speaking to supporters at his residence in Gombe on Saturday, the former governor urged them to remain calm and loyal to the party’s leaders while waiting for further instructions from him.
“Do not listen to betrayers, go home, prepare, be loyal to our party leaders and wait for my final order,” Goje said.
He further clarified that he had not decided to leave the APC, although discussions over his political future were ongoing.
“I am not defecting to any party now, however I am consulting stakeholders, but I promise I will be with my supporters with or without a Senate ticket,” he said.
The clarification comes after Goje’s name was omitted from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s final list of candidates for the 2027 elections.
The senator had contested the APC senatorial primary for Gombe Central but lost the party’s ticket to another aspirant, Mohammed Ahmed. His supporters had subsequently rejected the party’s consensus arrangement that replaced him as the proposed candidate.
INEC’s final list, released earlier in August, did not include Goje as a candidate for the Gombe Central senatorial seat.
The development has intensified speculation about the veteran politician’s next political step, particularly amid reports that opposition politicians, including members of the Peoples Democratic Party, have shown interest in having him join their ranks.
Despite the speculation, Goje has not announced any decision to leave the APC. He said he was consulting stakeholders and would communicate his position at the appropriate time.
Goje has represented Gombe Central in the Senate since 2011. He served as governor of Gombe State from 2003 to 2011 and returned to the Senate in 2023 after securing a fourth term.
With his name missing from the 2027 senatorial candidates’ list, political attention is now focused on whether he will remain in the APC, support another candidate or eventually move to a different political platform.
For now, Goje has asked his supporters to stay loyal and await what he described as his “final order.”