Gombe North’s Cry for Help — A Region Betrayed by Its Representatives.

Gombe North’s Cry for Help — A Region Betrayed by Its Representatives.

By Umar Aliyu 

In 2023, the people of Gombe North turned out in their numbers, with hearts full of hope and hands eager to change their destinies. They voted passionately, overwhelmingly for what they believed would be a turning point. With ballots cast in good faith, they trusted Distinguished Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, a man once held in high regard across the political spectrum, to steer their region toward progress. Today, nearly two years into his tenure, that hope has crumbled into disappointment

 and bitter regret.

For the people of Funakaye, the betrayal cuts the deepest. They mobilized, campaigned, endured the harsh sun, and ensured every vote was counted. They believed they were voting for a leader who understood their pains and would champion their future. Instead, they got a silent spectator in the corridors of power.

The list of unfulfilled promises reads like a painful catalogue of lost opportunities. Take, for instance, the power substation project a critical development that would have transformed the region's economic prospects. After much pleading and public pressure, a letter was forwarded to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). Then? Silence. A cheque was issued to the plot owners where the substation was to be sited. And again? Nothing. Not even a whisper of progress.

Then came the announcement of a bill for the establishment of the Federal University of Education a commendable move on paper. The people once again hoped, prayed, and believed. Given Dankwambo’s relationship with the Senate President, expectations soared. But instead of using that political leverage to expedite the process, the bill crawled. Months passed before a second reading. Then a public hearing. And then? Nothing. Stillness. No updates, no follow-through, no urgency. Another bill—this time for the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre in Bajoga has been introduced. But still this time around the gestures will again evaporate into thin air, the people can’t help but ask: is this another round of legislative abracadabra?

And while our Senator continues with his elusive approach, our Member of the House of Representatives is not faring any better. If silence was a political strategy, then he’s a master of it. Repeated calls and reminders have been made about the Gombe–Bajoga road a vital artery that could improve commerce, connectivity, and access to basic services. But the road remains a nightmare, a symbol of neglect and indifference. Other pressing needs from youth empowerment to health support have been met with equal silence.

Two years. That’s how long this abandonment has lasted. Two years of promises with no substance. Two years of watching other districts celebrate jobs secured for their youth, projects flagged off, and communities empowered while Gombe North is left to grope in the dark.

The people are not asking for miracles. They are not asking for luxury. They are demanding the barest minimum of what they were promised: electricity to power their businesses, institutions to educate their children, roads to drive safely on, jobs to keep their youth off the streets, and a responsive representative who picks up the call of the people.

But what they’ve received is silence. Inaction. Excuses.

It is shameful. It is disheartening. And above all, it is unacceptable.

Let this column serve as a warning and a wake-up call: the people of Gombe North are watching, and they are counting. Every promise made is a pledge. Every failure to deliver is a betrayal. And when the next election comes, don’t be surprised if the people return the same energy they received through the ballot box.

For now, their voices may be ignored in the chambers of power. But on the streets of Gombe ,Funakaye, Dukku, Nafada, Kwami, and across the length and breadth of Gombe North, a storm is brewing. A storm of discontent. And when it breaks, history will remember who stood with the people and who stood against them.