By Taibat Ummi Yakubu
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suffered a major setback in Gombe State after a Federal High Court nullified the nomination of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed ruled that Pantami’s emergence as the PDP flagbearer could not stand and directed the party to conduct a fresh governorship primary in line with its constitution, guidelines and applicable electoral laws.
The decision followed a suit filed by fellow PDP governorship aspirant, Usman Aliyu Garry, who challenged the process that produced Pantami as the party’s candidate.
Garry had argued before the court that the primary election failed to comply with the party’s internal regulations and relevant electoral provisions. He therefore sought an order setting aside Pantami’s nomination and compelling the PDP to organise another primary.
Pantami and the PDP, however, maintained throughout the proceedings that the exercise that produced him as candidate was valid and complied with all legal and party requirements.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court ruled in favour of the plaintiff, effectively reopening the race for the PDP governorship ticket in the state.
The judgment marks another dramatic twist in Pantami’s political journey ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former minister had initially sought the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but withdrew from the contest following disagreements over the process that produced Jamilu Gwamna as the party’s candidate.
He later defected to the PDP and was subsequently presented as the sole aspirant during the party’s governorship primary held on May 26, where he emerged through voice affirmation.
His emergence, however, immediately generated controversy within the party.
Several aspirants, including Usman Garry, Abdulkadir Hamma Saleh, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki and Monica Kaltho, openly questioned the decision to hand the ticket to Pantami shortly after his arrival from the APC.
The disagreement eventually found its way to court, with Garry insisting that the process violated party procedures and denied other aspirants a fair opportunity to contest.
During the hearing, counsel to the plaintiff urged the court to invalidate the primary and compel the PDP to conduct a fresh exercise, while lawyers representing Pantami argued that the process met all legal requirements and should be upheld.
With Thursday’s ruling, the PDP must now return to the drawing board and organise another governorship primary to determine who will fly the party’s flag in the 2027 Gombe governorship election.
The judgment is expected to reshape the political calculations within the opposition party in Gombe, as aspirants who previously challenged Pantami’s emergence may once again have an opportunity to compete for the ticket.
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