By Jamila Muhammad

Some supporters of Senator Muhammadu Danjuma Goje in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State have rejected an endorsement of two ADC candidates by a group claiming to represent the senator’s support base.

The disagreement followed a meeting where some individuals identified as supporters of Mr Goje endorsed Barrister Idris Abdullahi, the ADC senatorial candidate, and Dr Bashir Abdullahi Gaddafi, the party’s candidate for Akko Federal Constituency.

But another group of supporters has distanced itself from the endorsement, saying the meeting represented only a section of Mr Goje’s supporters and should not be interpreted as the collective position of his support base in Akko.

Speaking on behalf of the group after a meeting, Barrister Saidu Muazu Kumo reaffirmed their loyalty to Senator Goje but said such loyalty should not be interpreted as automatic support for every political decision or candidate associated with people operating within the senator’s support structure.

Mr Kumo said the group was particularly concerned about attempts to portray the endorsement of the two ADC candidates as a unanimous decision of Senator Goje’s supporters in the local government.

“We are with Senator Muhammadu Danjuma Goje, but we cannot accept the imposition of candidates whom we believe do not possess the character, discipline and proper upbringing expected of someone seeking to represent the people,” he said.

He argued that political loyalty should not prevent supporters from expressing independent views or disagreeing with decisions they consider contrary to their interests.

According to him, supporters should be allowed to assess candidates based on their character, conduct, credibility and capacity to represent their constituents.

The group also said the endorsement of Mr Idris Abdullahi and Dr Gaddafi should not be presented as a unanimous decision by Senator Goje’s supporters in Akko.

Mr Kumo urged political stakeholders and members of the public to distinguish between the actions of individual supporters and the broader position of the senator’s support base.

He said doing so would help prevent what he described as a misleading impression that all Goje supporters in Akko had agreed on the endorsement.

The group also appealed for restraint and political maturity, urging supporters of Senator Goje to resolve their differences through dialogue and democratic engagement.

Mr Kumo said disagreements within a political support structure should not lead to confrontation, adding that no individual should claim to speak for an entire support base without broad consultation.

The group reaffirmed its loyalty to Senator Goje, while maintaining that its position on the ADC candidates was an independent political decision.

It said supporting Senator Goje remained separate from the question of which candidates individual supporters would back in the forthcoming elections.