The political landscape in Gombe State ahead of the 2027 governorship election has taken a dramatic turn following the omission of former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy Isa Pantami from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) list of governorship candidates.
The development follows a series of legal battles, internal friction within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and a fresh court-ordered primary.
Court-Ordered Rerun and Pantami’s Victory
Pantami had emerged victorious in the rerun governorship primary election conducted by the PDP across polling units in Gombe State using the direct primary model. The former minister polled 2,054 votes to defeat his closest rival, Khamisu Mailantarki, who received 389 votes, while Aliyu Garry garnered 112 votes.
The rerun was ordered by a Federal High Court sitting in Gombe on September 24, 2026, which nullified the earlier primary that produced Pantami as the party’s flagbearer. Complying with the judicial directive, the PDP organised the repeat exercise on September 29, 2026.
Reacting to his primary victory at the time, Pantami pledged to unify the party and lead the PDP back to the Gombe State Government House in 2027, promising a vision to build a better state.
Ineligibility Claims, Defection
Despite Pantami’s victory at the rerun polls, his candidacy faced strong opposition from fellow aspirants.
First runner-up Khamisu Mailantarki rejected the outcome and demanded to be declared the validly nominated candidate.
Mailantarki argued that Pantami’s 2,054 votes should be voided on eligibility grounds, alleging that Pantami joined the PDP after the May 10 cutoff date by which the official party register had already been submitted to INEC.
Pantami, who served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, had defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in a letter dated May 19, 2026, after publicly criticising the Gombe APC leadership for allegedly favouring co-aspirant Jamilu Gwamna.
Second runner-up Aliyu Garry also rejected the rerun results, describing the process as fundamentally flawed and vowing to seek legal redress.
Response from Pantami Camp
The controversy culminated in the official release of the list of candidates by INEC, fulfilling a commitment made by the INEC National Chairman during a recent media briefing in Abuja. Notably missing from the published list was Pantami’s name.
In a swift reaction to the omission, the Pantami Campaign Organization and the Pantamiyya Movement issued an official press statement on October 10, 2026, signed by Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe, urging supporters to remain calm and calling the omission a “temporary challenge.”
“We are aware of the people working behind the scenes to frustrate good and responsible leadership in Gombe State, but our legal and liaison teams are already engaging with the relevant organs of the party and INEC to ensure full compliance and rectification within the window provided by law. By the grace of Allah, this matter will be resolved.”
With the former minister’s name absent from the current INEC list, critical questions remain regarding the PDP’s representation in the upcoming Gombe governorship race.
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