“Politics, democracy, is for the majority, for what the people want, not for what an individual wants, no matter his position or wealth,” Yoriyo said in an exclusive interview with Daily Sun.
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He further said that “In Gombe South, we have always built our politics on justice and fair play. But what happened in 2023 missed that calculation. We must go back to the drawing board”.
Since the return to democracy in 1999, Gombe State has operated a delicate balance among its three zones, North, Central, and South. Gombe North and Central has often produced governors and held sway in critical state institutions, while Gombe South has been compensated with deputy governorship and legislative clout.
This arrangement, though informal, has been respected enough to prevent open conflict. In fact, since 1999, the deputy governorship has consistently been zoned to Gombe South. Alongside this, the South has also produced constitutional senators and federal lawmakers, ensuring visibility at both state and national levels.
However, according to Yoriyo, the fragile equilibrium was upended in 2023. “The calculation of justice was missed,” he lamented.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), historically strong in the South, failed to distribute positions fairly. Traditionally, each of the four local governments in the zone, Billiri, Balanga, Kaltungo, and Shongom had a share of the key positions which include, one deputy governor, one senator, and two House of Representatives seats. This unwritten formula ensured that no LGA felt marginalised.
“Normally, we share positions fairly,” Yoriyo recalled stating that in 2023, party leaders ignored the tradition. “Selfish interests prevailed, and it landed us where we are. The deputy governorship that was supposed to be in Billiri didn’t materialise, because the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party could not win the election. Today, Billiri has virtually no representation in any significant political capacity”.
The fallout was predictable. Disenchanted voters withheld support, voter turnout dipped, and PDP lost the momentum it once commanded. For Yoriyo, the lesson is clear, “injustice within breeds failure without”.
Billiri’s grievances are loudest. Having lost out on the deputy governorship slot in 2023, the LGA feels shortchanged. With no major political officeholder today, the town’s elites are pressing harder for fairness.
Balanga
Balanga has historically been a swing player. Its political actors are pragmatic, often aligning with whichever camp offers the greatest guarantee of representation. For Balanga, the priority is inclusion, not ideology.
Kaltungo prides itself on producing some of the zone’s most prominent political figures. With strong cultural and political networks, the LGA sees itself as a natural leader in the South’s power negotiations.
Shongom, often overshadowed by its neighbours, has recently become more assertive. Younger politicians are pressing for recognition, arguing that fairness means their LGA should no longer be a junior partner in the South’s calculus.
While Kaltungo and Shongom seems less disturbed, Billiri and Balanga LGAs appear to be the two political heavyweights to draw attention, especially given the outcome of the 2023 elections.
In 2023, Balanga took the lion’s share, producing the deputy governor, the Senator representing Gombe South and the member of the House of Representatives for Billiri/Balanga Constituency as well. Billiri, despite its formidable political presence, was left waiting for what many believed would be a “turn” in 2027 and that expectation is now setting the stage for what promises to be a bruising contest between the two blocs.
Balanga’s current grip on power is anchored on two strong political figures, Ali Isa JC, the sitting member of the House of Representatives, and Antony Siyako Yaro, the Senator representing Gombe South. Both men are reportedly oiling their campaign engines ahead of 2027 with an eye on re-election.
The fact that both the Senate and the House of Representatives seats are occupied by Balanga indigenes underscores the local government’s growing political influence. Their performance, coupled with the power of incumbency, places them in a strong position to defend their mandates, even against stiff internal resistance.
For Billiri, the big question is not just whether they should contest but whether they can. Political analysts argue that Billiri, with its large voter base and history of producing influential politicians, has the structure to mount a formidable challenge. However, a clear, rallying candidate is yet to emerge.
However, the like of Alfred John Attajiri is one of the Billiri born politicians with strong Abuja connection, believed to be calculating his move for Ali JC’s seat.
“Billiri has always been a political powerhouse in Gombe, but the problem has been fragmentation and lack of consensus. Until they unite behind a credible candidate, Balanga may continue to dominate,” Yahaya Musa, a political watcher in Billiri noted.
Meanwhile, grassroots sentiment in Billiri suggests that the patience exercised in 2023 was not an act of weakness but a calculated political gamble. Now, as 2027 looms, expectations are high that Billiri will insist on a “fair share” of representation.
While zoning is not codified in law, it remains a potent tool for maintaining peace and balance. For many Billiri stakeholders, including Yoriyo who hails from Balanga, equity demands that after Balanga’s double win in 2023, at least one of the two seats should rotate to Billiri. “Ali JC and Siyako should seat and decide who should step down in 2027 or the people will go for a different candidate in other political parties and I think that will not go down well for both of them,” Yahaya Musa added.
According to him, failure to honor this expectation could strain the political harmony between the two LGAs and trigger a heated contest that might split party lines and voter loyalties or better open the way for Kaltungo or Shongom.
The road to 2027 is still long, but the undercurrents are clear. Ali Isa JC is quietly consolidating support networks in Abuja and across the constituency, while Antony Siyako Yaro is banking on his senatorial incumbency and performance record. Both are testing their relevance against the shifting grassroots expectations.
Billiri, on the other hand, faces the test of producing a unifying candidate who can galvanise its voting bloc, bridge intra-party fissures, and challenge Balanga’s entrenched hold. Without such a figure, the constituency may once again tilt in Balanga’s favour.
Yoriyo who is a major force in the ADC coalition is advancing a doctrine that could reshape the political conversation in the zone. He insists the four key positions tied to the zone must be equitably distributed.
He said, “Since inception in 1999, the deputy governorship has always been associated with Gombe South. Ideally, each of our four local governments should hold one of these positions. That is justice. And I assure the people that ADC will respect this balance”.
Yoriyo’s message is a strategy to rally support across the South by appealing for fairness. For the ADC, a party just coming up as a new bride banking on internal crisis and political mis- steps of the APC and PDP, presenting itself as the guardian of justice, the party hopes to build grassroots credibility where the larger parties falter.
With Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of APC set to complete his second term in 2027, the succession race is wide open. Each party is recalibrating its strategy. With the incumbency at hand, the ruling party will likely dangle the deputy governorship to secure the bloc’s loyalty.
The 2027 elections in Gombe will not just test party machinery or political alliances, it will test the principle of justice. For Gombe South, the path forward is clear but difficult; fix itself, share positions equitably, and bargain from strength. However, in the high-stakes game of Gombe politics, one truth remains constant; those who miscalculate justice often miscalculate victory.