From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
No fewer than 712 delegates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) participated in the state congress that was held in Gombe state.
As thousands of card-carrying members and supporters of the gathered to observe the process Daily Sun reports that a top official of the party in the person of Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje was absent at the venue of the election and nobody was identified as his representative.
According to some supporters, it is unlike Goje who is among the top three candidates vying for the position of the national chairman of the APC to miss the state congress and not send a representative.
“We believe Goje is with us (APC) but he’s not coming here shows that there are some issues to be addressed and I think leaders of our party should quickly do about it before it gets out of hand,” Sharu Musa, an APC member from Akko Local Government told Daily Sun during the congress at Pantami Stadium in Gombe metropolis.
Knowing that elections or congresses as the case may be in Nigeria are often associated with malpractices which normally leave behind some grievances, the newly elected Chairman of APC in Gombe, Mr Nitte Amangal called on aggrieved of the party to embrace dialogue as a way of addressing issues.
Nitte who lead APC to victory during the 2019 general elections in Gombe and returned on oppose, assured that his team would make sure that the channel of communication and dialogue is strengthened in the party to ensure more success for APC.
However, he warned that those wishing or planning to contest against Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya should know that APC has already gotten and picked its candidate for the 2023 gubernatorial election.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the congress which was decided on consensus and affirmed by the delegates, the state governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, stated that the process was peaceful while stressing that it would ensure more success for APC.
He, however, warned the newly elected official and other members that sharp practices have no room in the party.
On his part, the chairman of the APC Congress Committee for Gombe State, Dr Danjuma Dabo expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the congress and the consensus method adopted by the state.