Pantami reacts after INEC omits his name from Gombe governorship candidates list

The former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has reacted to the omission of his name on the list of Gombe governorship candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday.

INEC listed 16 candidates for the 6 February 2027 election in Gombe State.

The list includes Bala Tinka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Jamilu Gwamna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Babayo Kumo of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

There are also Zubairu Halilu of the Labour Party, Lamela Silas of the APM, Ibrahim Abubakar of the PRP and Adamu Ma’aji of the SDP, among others.

However, Mr Pantami, who was on the provisional list published on 29 August, did not make the new list.

He had earlier emerged as a PDP candidate after dumping APC on 19 May; before Ahmed Mailantarki, one of the aspirants, challenged Mr Pantami’s nomination in court.

The Federal High Court nullified it and ordered a fresh primary election, which Mr Pantami won again.

Reaction

The PDP leadership and the Pantamiyya Movement in Gombe State have issued a press statement addressing the omission of Mr Pantami’s name.

The statement, published on Mr Pantami’s verified Facebook page, attributed the setback to internal and external political opponents seeking to frustrate their political objectives.

The statement ,signed by one of the party leaders, Suleiman Mohammed, urged supporters to remain calm, resolute, and focused on ongoing mobilisation efforts.

He said legal and liaison teams were actively engaging with party organs and INEC to rectify the omission within the legally permitted timeframe, expressing confidence that the issue is a temporary hurdle that will be resolved successfully.

Read the statement by Mr Muhammed below.

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PRESS STATEMENT!

Our attention has been drawn to the non-publication of the name of our candidate from the fresh primary election of 29th September, 2026, as ordered by the Federal High Court, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), CON, PhD, FCIIS, FBCS, FNCS, in the list released by INEC, and we understand the concerns this has raised among our teeming supporters in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Pantamiyya Movement across Gombe State and beyond.

We wish to assure all our supporters to remain calm, steadfast, and hopeful. This is a temporary challenge and a normal part of the electoral process, not a final determination, in sha Allah. 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.

We urge our supporters to continue their mobilisation and to remain focused on our collective ideology of service to humanity. The PDP and Pantamiyya Movement remain strong, united, and committed to the rescue and emancipation of our people. No distraction will derail our course, in sha Allah.

May Allah bless Gombe State and may Allah bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.