Whether it’s the presidency or governorship, the race for 2027 has undeniably kicked off—faster and louder than ever before. Political analysts, party loyalists, and even casual observers now agree that the 2027 general elections have already begun, long before the echoes of the 2023 results had faded.
This is a unique cycle where post-election silence was swiftly replaced by an aggressive scramble for relevance. Political alignments and realignments dominate the headlines, and as is always the case in our political space, rumours are clashing violently with facts at the crowded intersection of misinformation and public anxiety.
In this delicate and often chaotic maze of ambition and strategy, it is not difficult to see how fatal miscalculations can be made. Missteps that could cost political parties states that should, by all indicators, be safe. Gombe is one such state. It is a classic case study of how a ruling party can lose its grip—not necessarily because it failed in governance, but because it failed to read the room early enough and act decisively.
The 2023 elections in Gombe should serve as a cautionary tale for the APC. The party might have retained the governorship, but it lost out heavily in other crucial battlegrounds. The PDP clinched two out of three senatorial seats—Gombe North and Gombe South. In the House of Representatives, they swept five out of six federal constituencies, leaving only Akko for the APC. Even in the state assembly, the PDP made notable gains, securing four out of 24 seats—far from a majority, yes, but enough to show serious intent.
This performance has naturally emboldened the PDP. And why not? The numbers suggest that Gombe could be ripe for the taking if only they can get their house in order and present a more popular, unifying candidate than they did in 2023. Many observers believe that the APC’s victory at the governorship level was less a result of overwhelming popularity and more due to the internal weaknesses of the PDP.
Many believe that the PDPs candidate in the last outing simply didn’t inspire confidence and he came carrying a baggage that weighed him down, making it difficult even for his party faithful to rally behind him with conviction. He may have had name recognition, but that alone couldn’t bridge the trust gap.
Largely, the conviction and sterling performance of Governor Inuwa Yahaya has earned him a support not only from his party but across the board – he presented a better alternative to pilot the state for another four years than his major challengers, Jibrin Barde of the PDP whom he defeated in 2019 APC guber primary election and Khamis Ahmed Mailantarki whose party, the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), seemed unrooted to unsit an incumbent governor.
Now that Yahaya is going, the APC needs a candidate that could have an overwhelming acceptability not only within his party but also the entire Gombe state, especially by vibrant youths who constitute the driving force for any candidate emerging victorious.
So, imagine for a moment a reinvigorated PDP. One that avoids the mistakes of 2023 and throws its weight behind a candidate that checks all the right boxes. That alone could turn Gombe into a fully blue state by 2027. Which begs the question: what should the APC do to avoid being steamrolled? The answer is simple—start now! Begin the long, careful process of grooming and projecting a candidate who not only appeals to the APC base but also commands admiration and support across party lines.
Luckily for the APC, the prevailing political atmosphere in the state is making their seeming tedious job more simple – the recent echoes calling on one of the successful youths from the state, Engr. Aliyu Muhammad, popularly known as Kombat, to throw his hat in the ring is an indicator to where the pendulum swings.
It’s without mincing words that the popularity of a candidate is one of the yardsticks aside his financial capability, Engr. Aliyu presents a better solution to the APC – the most pronounced name in the minds of many Gombe residents, may already be Engr. Aliyu Muhammad. Businessman and long-time party loyalist, Kombat has remained firmly grounded in the trenches with the APC. But it’s not just about loyalty. What sets him apart is his broad appeal, especially among young people who are increasingly tired of traditional politicians with little to offer. Kombat’s “Gombe First” ideology has struck a chord, and that resonance transcends party affiliations. He is regarded as someone who sees politics not just as a contest for power, but as a platform for real change.
It is often said that politics is local. In Gombe, Kombat has built goodwill across wards and communities. His philanthropic efforts—often initiated without any media noise—have touched lives in ways that many politicians can only dream of. And that’s what makes him different. His popularity is organic. It wasn’t engineered in an air-conditioned office by political strategists. It grew in the dusty streets of Gombe, in the hospitals he supported, in the schools he helped renovate, boreholes he sunk, and in the households that received support when no one else came calling.
What’s more interesting is that many of these efforts have been carried out in his name by ordinary citizens without his prompting or involvement. That alone speaks volumes. It means that people are already making up their minds for him. In a political era where many candidates have to beg for relevance, Kombat is being drafted by the people.
His close relationship and unalloyed support and loyalty to Governor Yahaya is another asset. Those in the know understand just how pivotal Kombat was to the governor’s reelection bid. He may not have been in the spotlight, but his behind-the-scenes role was critical. It only makes sense that the party recognises this and builds on it. Not because he’s entitled to anything, but because he represents the smartest possible bet for continuity.
Of course, Kombat has not officially declared his interest to contest. But politics is often about reading the signs, and the signs couldn’t be clearer. Ignoring this momentum would be a strategic blunder. The APC must not fall into the trap of assuming that party loyalty or years of service automatically translates into electoral value. They don’t. Electability is a separate matter altogether, and it is often driven by timing, perception, and momentum. Kombat, by all indications, ticks those boxes.
Governor Yahaya, with his laudable projects, needs someone with similar ideology to succeed him and that person should not be someone with lots of baggage but a person who has made fortune for himself but only aspired to develop and expand his horison of impacting his endowment to the people of Gombe state. Kambat is doing much to complement the efforts of His Excellency.
And for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC, Gombe represents more than just one state—it is part of a larger battleground where perception is reality. The party can’t afford to carry weak or divisive candidates into 2027. A candidate like Kombat not only strengthens the APC’s ticket in Gombe but also offers a fresh face that can energise the base and attract swing voters. He would serve as a strong regional ally to the president, helping to counterbalance opposition rhetorics and offer a more grounded connection to grassroots sentiments.
Ultimately, Gombe 2027 is not about ego, or repaying old political debts. It is about survival. It is about knowing when the tide is changing and learning how to ride the wave instead of getting drowned by it. It is about settling early, and smartly, for a candidate who is already the choice of many before the race officially begins.
To demonstrate his loyalty to the party and the governor, Engr. Aliyu passionately appealed to his teeming supporters to halt on politicking and weigh support for Governor Yahaya to round off his tenure and execute his earmarked projects. Though, the tempo is still high, this singular act differentiates Kombat from desperate politicians whose ambition knows no bounds.
For the people of Gombe, it is Kombat O’clock. And for the APC, the path is clear: embrace the inevitable or risk becoming a relic of past glory. The future is calling. The question is whether the party will answer wisely or miss its moment entirely.