​Former Gombe State Governor and ranking Senator representing Gombe Central, Senator Danjuma Goje, has firmly denied reports that he has defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following the omission of his name from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections.
​The clarification was issued on Saturday, August 22, 2026, during a press briefing held at his constituency office in Gombe, Gombe State. Speaking on behalf of the lawmaker, Goje’s official media spokesperson, Ahmed Kashere, dismissed rumours linking the lawmaker to opposition platforms, specifically the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as “baseless disinformation orchestrated by political mischief-makers”.
​”Senator Danjuma Goje remains a committed, loyal, and foundational member of the All Progressives Congress,” Kashere stated. “The recent publication of the INEC candidates’ list does not alter his allegiance to the party, nor has he tendered any resignation or defected to any other political organization.”
​The development follows the recent release of INEC’s final publication of validated parliamentary candidates for the upcoming 2027 general elections. Observers expressed surprise after Goje’s name was notably absent from the Gombe Central Senatorial ticket, which instead listed retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ahmed, as the official APC candidate following competitive party primaries.
​Addressing the outcome of the primaries and the subsequent candidate roster, Kashere emphasized that Senator Goje is exploring internal conflict-resolution channels provided by the party leadership rather than abandoning the platform. He added that the Senator continues to participate in core party activities and supports the broader political structure of the APC at both state and national levels.
​Goje, a four-term senator who previously served as Governor of Gombe State from 2003 to 2011, remains one of the most influential political figures in Nigeria’s North-East geopolitical zone. His media team urged supporters and the general public to disregard defection reports, assuring them that further legal and political steps regarding his future leadership role will be communicated through official channels.
