Ahead of the local government polls next year, forces within and outside the ruling PDP in Gombe State have ganged up against the governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo in a move seen as aimed at dislodging the party in the state.

According to Ceoafrica, ahead of the February 27, 2017, local government elections in Gombe State, the political temperature in Gombe State is already rising.

Clearly, the poll is as much a test for the popularity of political party popularities, as it would help to entrench parties at the grass root level, ahead of 2019.

Already, there are strong indications that the State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, and the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) will not have a smooth or overwhelming win, considering the nature of power play in the state.

The plot against Governor Dankwambo and the PDP is from within the party itself, as some notable members are perfecting plans to move to the All Progressives Congress, (APC). The major complaint is that Dankwambo has hijacked PDP in the state and has failed to run an inclusive government that will carry key party stakeholders along.

It was gathered that some key officials of the Dankwambo’s administration and top PDP leaders in the state have been holding secret talks with the leadership of the APC at all levels to perfect strategies on how to cripple PDP in the state, starting with the forth coming local government elections.

Sources close to the seat of power said that the nature and intensity of the conspiracy is now a source of worry to Governor Dankwambo, who, recently decried that he had barely spent two years in office, out of four years of his second tenure, while those that benefited from PDP and his administration are already scheming to destroy him and the party that brought them to prominence.

Findings revealed that while Dankwambo decries such antics, APC are perfecting plans to capture the state. An impeccable source said that a number of political office holders and stakeholders who do not agree with the direction the state is heading are reaching out to the leadership of the APC with a view to dislodging the PDP.

“We have gone a long way and the plans are being spearheaded by some disenchanted PDP members who are on the neck of our leaders to allow them into the APC with the pledge to support in annihilating the remains of the PDP” an APC source who prefers anonymity said.

However, politics watchers said the governor’s political battles are far from within as according to them, his problems were created by political forces that gave him power in 2011.

Further findings revealed that in several secret meetings in Abuja and Gombe, the powerful forces allegedly led by former governor and now Senator Danjuma Goje has been perfecting plans on how to capture the state from PDP led government of Dankwambo.

Unconfirmed sources said the former governor, who was seen largely as the man that single handedly brought Governor Dankwambo to power in the 2011 general elections, has long parted ways with his successor and hence is determined to whittle down his political influence by ensuring that the PDP is completely dislodged in the state.

“The current move to uproot the ruling PDP in the state is borne out of the desire of some people to continually dictate what happens in the state not minding the fact that there is a governor who is the number one citizen. This will fail” a politics watcher in the state, Garba Kumo said.

But the state Chairman of the PDP, Barr Joel Ayuba Jagafa, who attributes the political development in the state to envy, on the part of the former governor and his political foot soldiers, said they are not happy that Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo has achieved, even with dwindling revenue from the federation account, what their principal could not achieve in eight years.

The move to dislodge the ruling PDP in Gombe state became more pronounced when key members of the party started parting ways with it in preference for the APC.

Prominent among those that have so far rejected the umbrella party for the broom party are Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, a three time minister under the PDP administration, he served as FCT minister from 2007-2008. He was first appointed minister of power and steel in 2002-2003, he was then moved to the Federal Ministry of Commerce in May 2006-2007.

Also on the list is Sen. Abdullahi Idris Umar, the immediate past minister of transport, who was a two time member of the House of Representatives and a onetime Senator.

Others are Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali, who represented Gombe North in the six and seventh senate and Mr John Lazarus Yoriyo, the deputy to former governor and now Senator Danjuma Goje.

Nevertheless, there are talks of more prominent PDP politicians in the state moving to the APC before the forthcoming local government elections scheduled for February 2017.

Political watchers affirmed that the exit of these key personalities who for long have given PDP its shine in the state, coupled with the recent exit of Alhaji Abubakar Habu Muazu, the former youth leader of the PDP who many believed worked tirelessly for the victory of Dankwambo re-election, may well signal tough times for the PDP and by implication, the Dankwambo political dynasty, in the state.

Muazu, served as the campaign coordinator of former president GoodluckJonathan in 2011. He is said to command influence and control of women and youths due to his generosity.

Since Habu Muazu decamped to APC, many commentators have flayed the decision. Many leaders from the PDP have criticised him, saying the party is not bothered about his decamping. According to them he is just a nuisance and a political liability.

He maintained that the current cry and names calling by the PDP confirmed his popularity and political strength. “If they said I am not relevant why they are worried about my decamping, anywhere you go I am the subject of discussion, as if I am the only person living PDP in the state, this is a sign of my popularity and political competence.” He said.

Muazu who dismissed the speculations that he defected to the APC for political gains noted that no amount of lies or blackmail by the PDP will deter him from pursuing his political ambition. According to him his defection to APC was not in any way a betrayal of anybody, rather a movement to save the state from a ruined party, saying that the era of impunity is over.

“I joined APC not because of political gains but to identify myself with integrity and patriotism and to support Mr President in his effort to transform the country. He said.

“All other states are joining the queue to identify with the vision of President Buhari, we in Gombe cannot be an exception, we cannot rally support for the president under an opposition platform” he said adding “Since I moved to the APC I have been enjoying massive support from the state, especially at the grassroots because the people are tired of the lies and confusion of the PDP government under Dankwambo.”

As APC hopes to get more converts, the big question is whether the Talban Gombe and his team of loyalists can withstand the political exodus and remain resolute.

Observers of Political events are of the view that the forthcoming local government elections in the state will go a long way to define whether PDP still has a control of the state like it did in 2015.

Recall that against all odds, the incumbent governor had emerged winner in a most keenly contested election.

More so, it will be interesting to see whether the party can have a clean sweep of the polls in the state, as has become the tradition where a ruling party wins virtually all the seats during council polls.

For APC, the poll will seek to gauge whether it has finally garnered the capacity and strength to unhinge the umbrella party in the state. Much more, the polls will help measure the just how much in roads the opposition party in the state has achieved.

For what it is worth, the contest will ultimately see a frontal contest between Dankwambo and Goje.

While the governor would want to reprise the 2015 wonder and establish himself as the ace political juggernaut in the state, his immediate predecessor and estranged political ally has pride to fight for as he would seek to make a statement, not just in the state, but at the national level with a measurable victory during the council polls.