Sen. Dankwambo Under Fire Over ₦175m Pledge as CSO Chair Questions Timing Ahead of Election

By Auwal Ahmad Umar, Gombe

The Chairman of the Gombe Network of Civil Society, Amb. Ibrahim Yusuf, has criticised Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo’s ₦175 million healthcare and education support pledge, accusing him of attempting to bully the electorate with interventions announced close to 2027 election.

Dankwambo, who represents Gombe North, announced the support during the unveiling of the Peoples Democratic Party’s campaign in Gombe on Thursday.

Speaking with Newsmen in Gombe on Saturday, Yusuf questioned why the senator had not introduced the interventions during the preceding three years of his tenure.

He said the pledge came with only 85 days remaining before the election, arguing that constituents deserved sustained support rather than promises as voting approached.

“For me, this is coming at the wrong time, and it’s like he’s underestimating the power of the electorate,” Yusuf said.

The civil society chairman described Dankwambo’s overall performance as “below average” and challenged him to present a clear account of the projects and programmes he had delivered across Gombe North.

While acknowledging that the senator had made some contributions, Yusuf maintained that his representation had fallen short of constituents’ expectations.

He argued that the value of a financial pledge should not replace scrutiny of an elected official’s record, adding that healthcare and education required consistent attention throughout a representative’s tenure.

Yusuf said his criticism concerned accountability and the quality of representation, rather than partisan interests.

“This is not about politics, but about representation,” he said.

He expressed concern about politicians who become more responsive to their constituents when seeking another term, saying such conduct weakened public confidence in leadership.

The GONET chairman urged voters to assess candidates on their competence, integrity and record of service, rather than popularity or political loyalty.

“During the forthcoming election, let the electorate speak by their votes,” Yusuf said.

“Let them come out en masse to replace anybody that has not represented them well.”

He also encouraged residents to support candidates who had demonstrated a sustained commitment to their communities.

“If we continue to vote based on sentiment, we’ll continue to suffer the way we are suffering now,” he said.

The material provided for this report did not include a response from Dankwambo to Yusuf’s criticism.