A member of the House of Representatives representing Dukku/Nafada Federal Constituency of Gombe State, Rep. Abdullahi El-Rasheed, has officially resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), following the party’s decision to deny him its consensus ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The lawmaker announced his resignation on Saturday, shortly after the APC leadership adopted Jamilu Ahmed Shabewa as the consensus candidate for the constituency seat.
Rep. El-Rasheed, a first-term federal lawmaker, was originally elected into the House of Representatives in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before defecting to the APC in February 2026.
At the time of his defection, he cited the leadership style of Governor Muhammadu Yahaya and the reform policies of President Bola Tinubu as major reasons for joining the ruling party.
The lawmaker formally presented his APC membership card, obtained through the party’s nationwide e-registration exercise in Dukku Local Government Area, during a visit to Gov. Yahaya at the Gombe State Liaison Office in Abuja.
Gov. Yahaya had welcomed him into the party and assured him of fairness and equal opportunities within the APC.
However, political tensions emerged after a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the governor endorsed Shabewa as the party’s consensus candidate for the Dukku/Nafada Federal Constituency seat, effectively shutting Rep. El-Rasheed out of the race.
Reacting in a Facebook post, the lawmaker expressed disappointment over the development, stating that the outcome was not what he had hoped for.
He urged his supporters to remain calm, while consultations continue over his political future.
Shortly afterward, Rep. El-Rasheed formally announced his resignation from the APC, citing concerns over fairness, justice and transparency in the party’s internal processes.
The crisis surrounding his exit is part of a broader wave of discontent within the APC in Gombe State, following the adoption of consensus candidates for several elective positions ahead of the 2027 elections.
Former Minister of Communications and governorship aspirant, Isa Ali Pantami, also rejected the emergence of Jamilu Ishyaku Gwamna as the party’s consensus governorship candidate.
Pantami described the arrangement as a “coronation” rather than a genuine consensus process and argued that it violated provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
He subsequently submitted his governorship nomination form at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, signaling his intention to contest the party’s primary election.
The controversy further deepened after Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje reportedly opposed the decision to replace him with Mohammed Ahmadu Deba as the APC candidate for Gombe Central Senatorial District.
According to associates of the former governor, the stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House, Gombe, excluded recognised aspirants and failed to comply with provisions of the Electoral Act.
In a related development, Senator Siyako Anthony Yaro of Gombe South Senatorial District recently defected from the APC back to the PDP after losing the party’s ticket to Joseph Jerry Damara.
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Also opposing the consensus arrangement is former APC National Youth Leader and governorship aspirant, Sadiq Shuaibu Abubakar, who accused party leaders of imposing candidates and undermining internal democracy.
Despite the growing opposition, Gov. Yahaya has defended the consultation process, maintaining that the APC remains open to conducting direct primaries should aspirants reject the consensus arrangement.
The APC state publicity secretary also stated that while the party prefers consensus to promote unity, it is prepared to organise primaries for aggrieved aspirants.
Rep. El-Rasheed’s latest move has further heightened political uncertainty within the APC in Gombe state, with observers closely watching his next political destination ahead of the 2027 elections.
