TDA Demands Senate Seat Rotation in Gombe Central, Alleges Marginalisation of Yamaltu/Deba

By Auwal Umar, Gombe

The Tera Development Association (TDA) has called for the rotation of the Gombe Central Senatorial seat between Akko and Yamaltu/Deba local government areas, saying the current political arrangement has left the people of Yamaltu/Deba feeling sidelined.

The group made the demand on Monday during a press conference at the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Gombe, where it urged political leaders and stakeholders to restore what it described as an earlier tradition of balanced representation in the district.

Speaking on behalf of the association, its National Secretary, Emmanuel Usman Zambuk, said the demand was driven by a growing sense of exclusion among the people of Yamaltu/Deba, who, according to him, have been denied the opportunity to represent the district in the Senate for an extended period.

Mr Zambuk argued that Gombe Central belongs politically to both Akko and Yamaltu/Deba and should therefore be governed by a fair power-sharing arrangement that gives each local government a chance to produce a senator.

He said that when Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, the district had followed a more balanced pattern, with the Senate seat moving between the two areas. According to him, that arrangement was disrupted when former Gombe State Governor Danjuma Goje emerged as senator and held the seat for four consecutive terms, amounting to 16 years.

According to the TDA, that long stretch of representation from one side of the district has deepened feelings of political marginalisation in Yamaltu/Deba.

> “We believe in equity and justice. If this seat belongs to both Akko and Yamaltu/Deba, then it should rotate fairly. After 16 years in Akko, it is only right that Yamaltu/Deba should be given the opportunity,” Mr Zambuk said.

He stressed that the association’s position should not be interpreted as a criticism of the current senator or a rejection of anyone’s competence, but rather as a principled demand for fairness and inclusion.

> “It is not about competence or performance. It is about fairness. When people are not given opportunities, their potential remains unknown. We have capable individuals in Yamaltu/Deba who can deliver effective representation,” he added.

The association also appealed directly to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, whom it described as the political leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, to intervene and help broker a fair arrangement ahead of the next electoral cycle.

Mr Zambuk said the governor was well placed to bring together aspirants and stakeholders from both Akko and Yamaltu/Deba to agree on a consensus formula that would preserve party unity while addressing the concerns being raised.

According to him, such an approach would not only reduce political tension in the district but also reinforce trust among communities that feel excluded from the power structure.

> “We believe His Excellency has always been a listening leader. This is an opportunity to reinforce that leadership by ensuring fairness and inclusiveness. If Yamaltu/Deba is allowed to serve for one or two terms, the seat can return to Akko thereafter,” he said.

The TDA maintained that adopting a rotational model would strengthen cohesion in Gombe Central and prevent avoidable political grievances, especially as consultations and alignments begin to gather momentum ahead of future elections.

The group warned that if concerns over representation are ignored, it could deepen discontent among communities that already feel politically disadvantaged.

It therefore urged the APC and other political actors in the state to place equity, justice and inclusiveness at the centre of their decisions on the senatorial contest.

For the association, the issue is not merely about political ambition but about giving all components of the district a sense of belonging in the democratic process.