2027: Pressure Mounts to Zone Gombe Central Senate Seat to Yamaltu/Deba

2027: Pressure Mounts to Zone Gombe Central Senate Seat to Yamaltu/Deba

…Nyimatli Development Association says equity and political balance demand a return to rotational representation

By Auwal Ahmad, Gombe

The Nyimatli Development Association (NDA) has renewed calls for the zoning of the Gombe Central senatorial seat to the Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group made its position known during a press briefing in Gombe, where its secretary, Emmanuel Usman, spoke on behalf of the association’s executive members and stakeholders from the area.

The association said the demand was anchored on fairness, justice and the need to preserve political balance within Gombe Central Senatorial District, which is made up of Akko and Yamaltu/Deba local government areas.

Mr Usman said the call was not driven by personal ambition or hostility toward any individual but by what the group described as a legitimate demand for inclusiveness and equal political opportunity.

According to him, the district has historically been shared by the two local government areas, and political representation should reflect that reality.

He noted that although the senatorial seat had at some point moved between the two councils, the arrangement was disrupted over the years, leaving Yamaltu/Deba with what he described as a prolonged sense of exclusion.

The association argued that after years of dominance by one side of the district, it had become necessary to restore what it called a fair and acceptable power-sharing formula.

“Our demand is based on equity and justice. Gombe Central belongs to both Akko and Yamaltu/Deba, and it is only fair that the two should have equal opportunity to occupy the Senate seat,” Mr Usman said.

He said the agitation should not be mistaken for a protest against the performance of the current occupant of the seat, insisting that the issue was about political fairness rather than personality.

According to him, Yamaltu/Deba has competent and experienced individuals who are capable of providing quality representation at the National Assembly if given the opportunity.

“This is not about questioning anybody’s capacity or performance. It is about fairness and giving every part of the district a sense of belonging in the political process,” he said.

The group also called on Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya to use his influence as leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State to ensure justice and inclusiveness in the build-up to the 2027 elections.

Mr Usman said the governor had the political weight and leadership standing to bring together stakeholders from Akko and Yamaltu/Deba and guide them toward a consensus that would preserve unity within the party and the district.

He said such a move would not only reduce tension but also strengthen internal cohesion and public trust in the political process.

“We believe the governor has always shown leadership in difficult moments. This is another opportunity for him to promote justice, fairness and peaceful political understanding among all sides,” he said.

The association maintained that zoning the seat to Yamaltu/Deba would help correct what it sees as a long-standing imbalance while also promoting harmony and political stability in Gombe Central.

It warned that failure to address the issue could deepen feelings of marginalisation and weaken confidence in the principle of equal representation.

The group therefore urged the APC and other political stakeholders in the state to place equity above narrow political calculations and ensure that the next senatorial contest reflects the collective interest of all communities in the district.

For the NDA, the 2027 election presents what it described as a critical opportunity to rebuild trust and reaffirm the principle that no section of Gombe Central should be shut out of representation.