Politics
Gombe 2027: Elections Are Won at the Polls, Not on Social Media
By Ibrahim Sani Shawai
Media Aide to Dr. Jamil Isyaku Gwamna
12 August 2026
There is a fundamental truth about politics that the excitement of the social media age sometimes makes us forget: elections are not won by the loudest voices online. They are won by the people who actually go to the polling units to cast their votes.
As the political conversation ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Gombe State gathers momentum, this distinction remains important.
The next Governor of Gombe State will not be elected on Facebook, X, Instagram or TikTok. The decision will ultimately be made at polling units across the state’s 11 Local Government Areas by citizens who live with the consequences of their choice.
Social media has undoubtedly transformed political communication. A politician can trend nationally within hours, attract thousands of followers and become the subject of conversations far beyond his immediate constituency. However, political visibility online does not automatically translate into electoral strength on the ground.
Likes are not ballots. Followers are not voters. Retweets are not polling units.
And sympathy generated hundreds of kilometres away cannot replace the confidence and acceptance of the electorate at home.
This reality is particularly relevant to the emerging political conversation around Dr. Jamil Isyaku Gwamna, the Sardaunan Gombe, whose political activities have continued to attract attention as preparations for 2027 intensify.
For Gwamna, the emphasis appears to be on maintaining direct engagement with the people of Gombe State—the very people whose mandate he seeks.
And there is a simple reason for that: politics is ultimately local.
Anyone seeking to govern a people must understand their communities, aspirations, frustrations and expectations. More importantly, the people must know the person seeking their mandate and have the opportunity to assess his character, experience, vision and capacity.
For Sardaunan Gombe, that relationship did not begin with the approach of the 2027 election.
His supporters argue that his engagement with communities in Gombe State dates back more than two decades, long before the current political contest became prominent. Over the years, his professional career, public service experience, political engagements, philanthropic activities and relationships with communities have contributed to the political identity he has built.
Every relationship established along the way matters. Every community visited matters. Every person whose life has been positively touched matters.
That is why the current phase of Gwamna’s political engagement may be better understood not simply as an introduction to the people, but as a continuation of an already established relationship.
For many of his supporters across the state, the question is no longer simply:
“Who is Jamil Gwamna?”
The bigger question is:
“What does Jamil Gwamna intend to do for Gombe State?”
That is where the 2027 political conversation should increasingly focus.
What is the plan for creating employment opportunities for young people?
What is the strategy for strengthening agriculture and improving the livelihoods of farmers?
How can education and healthcare be further improved?
How can Gombe attract more investment and expand its economic base?
What role will technology play in creating opportunities for the state’s growing population of young people?
How can government become more efficient, transparent and responsive?
And how can the achievements recorded in the state be consolidated while opening new frontiers of development?
These are the questions that should occupy the centre of the political debate ahead of 2027.
Social media certainly has an important role to play. It provides politicians with a powerful platform to communicate policies, engage young people, counter misinformation and reach audiences that traditional political structures may not easily reach.
But social media should complement—not replace—grassroots political engagement.
A candidate may command an enormous online following, yet an election is ultimately determined by voters who present themselves at polling units on election day.
For a candidate seeking to govern Gombe State, therefore, building trust within Gombe remains fundamental.
Sympathy in Abuja, Kano or Kaduna cannot cast a ballot in Gombe.
Applause in Abuja cannot replace grassroots acceptance in Akko.
A trending conversation outside the state cannot substitute for relationships in Balanga, Billiri, Dukku, Funakaye, Kaltungo, Kwami, Nafada, Shongom, Yamaltu/Deba and Gombe.
When election day arrives, the governorship will be decided in these communities and at polling units across the state.
The political lesson is therefore straightforward: online popularity may generate attention, but grassroots acceptance wins elections.
For Sardaunan Gombe, the task ahead is consequently clear—remain connected to the people, listen to their concerns, understand their aspirations, engage communities, build lasting relationships and, most importantly, present a credible and practical agenda for the future of Gombe State.
The 2027 election should not merely be a contest of personalities, social-media trends or political slogans. It should be a contest of ideas, experience, competence, character, credibility and the ability to translate political promises into meaningful development.
Ultimately, the people of Gombe State will have the final say.
Not Facebook.
Not X.
Not Instagram.
Not TikTok.
The people.
And when the votes are cast and counted, it will be the choice made by the electorate at the polling units across Gombe State that determines who occupies the Government House after 2027.
Former Opposition Figure Pledges Political Structure to Support Jamil Gwamna, Other APC Candidates Ahead of 2027 Elections
By Our Political Reporter
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has received former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, Alhaji Abdulkadir Hamma-Saleh, into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in a move that could reshape political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Hamma-Saleh, who previously contested for the PDP governorship ticket against former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, announced his decision to leave the opposition party and join the APC in a press statement made available to journalists in Gombe.
The former governorship aspirant also called on his supporters across Gombe State to join him in the APC and support the party’s candidates at all levels of government.
His defection comes amid increasing political realignments in the state as political parties and aspirants intensify efforts to consolidate their support bases ahead of the 2027 elections.
Hamma-Saleh’s move is considered a significant development in Gombe’s political landscape, given his previous involvement in the PDP’s governorship contest and his role among the party’s political stakeholders.
The development also comes against the backdrop of internal disputes surrounding the PDP governorship ticket, following the emergence of Professor Pantami as the party’s candidate and subsequent legal challenges over the primary election.
By joining the APC, Hamma-Saleh has signalled his intention to align with the ruling party as political activities gather momentum ahead of the next electoral cycle.
His call for supporters to rally behind the APC could provide an opportunity for the party to strengthen its grassroots mobilisation and expand its political base across the state’s 11 local government areas.
Meanwhile, Governor Inuwa Yahaya and other APC stakeholders are expected to continue engaging political actors as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections.
The defection adds to the evolving political dynamics in Gombe State, where party loyalty, strategic alliances and grassroots mobilisation are expected to play important roles in determining the outcome of the forthcoming elections.
However, the number of thousands Hamma-Saleh’s supporters already join him in the APC.
As the 2027 elections approach, political observers will be watching how the development affects the strength of the APC and the PDP, as well as the broader contest for political influence in Gombe State.
Politics
2027: Ex-PDP Governorship Aspirant Hamma Saleh Collects APC Membership Card, Mobilises Support for APC at all levels
By Our Political Reporter
A former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Hamma Saleh, has officially collected his membership card of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nafada West Ward, Nafada Local Government Area, pledging to work for the party’s success at all levels in the 2027 general elections.
Hamma Saleh, also known as Dokajin Nafada, collected his APC membership card on Sunday, October 18, 2026, following his defection from the PDP to the ruling party.
The event attracted a large gathering of APC supporters, party leaders and other stakeholders who welcomed him into the party at the Nafada Local Government Secretariat.
The reception was led by the Chairman of Nafada Local Government Area, Hon. Dr. Babangida Adamu Jigawa, Danmasanin Nafada, alongside other APC leaders and stakeholders in the area.
The Commissioner for Livestock Development, Alhaji Salisu Baba Alkali, was also present to welcome Hamma Saleh into the APC.
Speaking after receiving his membership card, Hamma Saleh expressed his commitment to strengthening the APC in Nafada Local Government Area and across Gombe State.
He urged his supporters to rally behind the party and vote for its candidates in the 2027 general elections.
The former PDP governorship aspirant specifically called on his supporters to vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC governorship candidate in Gombe State, Dr. Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna, and the party’s senatorial candidate for Gombe North, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, alongside other APC candidates.
He emphasised the need for unity and collective commitment among party members to ensure the APC’s success in the forthcoming elections.
Hamma Saleh also expressed appreciation to the Nafada Local Government Chairman, Hon. Dr. Babangida Adamu Jigawa, party leaders and supporters for the warm reception accorded him.
As part of his activities during the visit, Hamma Saleh paid a courtesy visit to the palace of the Emir of Nafada, Alhaji Muhammad Dadum Hamza, to pay homage to the traditional institution.
His defection marks another political development in Gombe State as political parties and their stakeholders continue to position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The move is expected to attract attention within the state’s political landscape, particularly in Nafada Local Government Area and the remaining 10 LGAs of Gombe, where Hamma Saleh is seeking to mobilise his supporters behind the APC.
By Our Political Reporter
Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Gombe State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Hamma Saleh, has formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), weeks after resigning from the opposition party, in a political development that could reshape alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Hamma Saleh announced his defection in a press release made available to journalists in Gombe on Friday, calling on his supporters across the state to join him in supporting the APC and its candidates at all levels.
The move marks a new chapter in the political career of Hamma Saleh, who is regarded by his supporters as one of the longstanding political stakeholders in the PDP in Gombe State.
His defection is expected to generate discussions within the state’s political circles, particularly given his experience in party politics, grassroots mobilisation and his relationships with political stakeholders across the state.
Hamma Saleh is believed to have established a considerable support base across Gombe State’s 11 local government areas and 114 wards, a factor that could make his entry into the APC significant as the party prepares for the 2027 elections.
His supporters maintain that his political experience, personal integrity and longstanding engagement with grassroots communities could strengthen the APC’s mobilisation efforts ahead of the polls.
The development could also have implications for the PDP, particularly if some of his loyalists decide to follow him into the ruling party. However, the number of supporters likely to move with him has not been independently established.
Hamma Saleh’s political realignment comes amid growing manoeuvres by political parties and aspirants seeking to consolidate their support bases, build alliances and position themselves for electoral contests in 2027.
His previous resignation from the PDP had already generated interest among political observers, with his subsequent decision to join the APC providing further insight into the changing political alignments in Gombe State.
For the APC, his arrival could offer an opportunity to strengthen its grassroots structures and expand its reach among voters, particularly in communities where he enjoys political influence.
As political activities intensify across Gombe State, attention will increasingly focus on whether Hamma Saleh can translate his political experience and claimed grassroots influence into tangible electoral support for the APC.
His defection adds another dimension to the evolving political contest in Gombe State, where party loyalty, grassroots mobilisation and strategic alliances are expected to play crucial roles in the battle for political dominance in 2027.
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