Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has reportedly been omitted from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s final list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election, raising fresh questions about the Peoples Democratic Party’s nomination process and his participation in the forthcoming poll.
The development comes barely days after Pantami re-emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate following a court-ordered rerun of the party’s primary election on September 29, 2026. His reported absence from the final list published on October 10 has therefore introduced another layer of uncertainty into the party’s preparations for the 2027 general election.
Although the reported omission has attracted attention because of Pantami’s prominence in Gombe politics, the precise reason for his absence requires clarification from INEC. The commission’s decision should not automatically be interpreted as a final judicial determination that he is ineligible to contest.
Pantami’s journey to the PDP governorship ticket has been marked by political realignments and legal challenges. He initially pursued the All Progressives Congress ticket but eventually left the ruling party after it settled on Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna as its preferred candidate.
Pantami subsequently joined the PDP and emerged as the party’s governorship candidate following its primary election on May 26, 2026. However, his initial emergence was challenged by fellow aspirant Usman Aliyu Garry, who questioned the validity of the process through which the former minister was declared the winner.
The dispute eventually reached the Federal High Court in Gombe. On September 24, 2026, the court nullified the earlier primary and ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh exercise in accordance with the applicable rules and procedures.
The judgment reopened the contest and required the party to organise another primary to determine its candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
The PDP subsequently conducted the rerun on September 29, with Pantami competing against Garry and Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki.
At the conclusion of the exercise, Pantami emerged victorious with 2,054 votes. Mailantarki received 389 votes, while Garry polled 112 votes, according to reports published after the election. The result restored Pantami’s position as the party’s candidate following the court-ordered exercise.
However, the successful completion of the rerun did not necessarily resolve every legal question surrounding his nomination.
A separate controversy concerns the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing political party membership registers and eligibility to participate in party primaries.
The issue became particularly significant because Pantami reportedly withdrew from the APC governorship primary on May 19 before joining the PDP. Questions were subsequently raised about whether his membership complied with the statutory requirements applicable to the party register submitted to INEC before its primary election.
Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026 addresses the submission and use of political parties’ membership registers. The relevant provisions establish requirements concerning the register submitted to the electoral commission and eligibility to participate in party primaries.
The Supreme Court’s September 2026 decision upholding the constitutionality of relevant provisions of the Electoral Act has intensified scrutiny of candidates whose political affiliations changed before their nominations.
Nevertheless, the legal implications for Pantami must be distinguished from the broader controversy. A court ruling upholding the constitutionality of electoral provisions does not, by itself, establish that every candidate affected by questions surrounding membership registers has violated those provisions.
The circumstances of each candidate, the relevant party records, the applicable nomination requirements and any subsequent judicial decisions remain important to determining eligibility.
Pantami’s supporters have previously maintained that the court-ordered rerun provided a lawful basis for his emergence as the PDP candidate. The September 29 exercise followed the Federal High Court’s directive and gave the party an opportunity to conduct a fresh primary after the earlier process was invalidated.
However, the fact that a fresh primary was conducted does not automatically settle every separate question about membership registration or compliance with electoral law. Those issues depend on the applicable statutory provisions and the specific facts of the nomination process.
The reported omission from INEC’s final list therefore places renewed attention on the distinction between winning a party primary and satisfying all the requirements for inclusion on the official list of candidates.
For the PDP in Gombe State, the development raises an important question about its preparations for the 2027 election. The party will need to establish the status of its nomination and determine what steps, if any, are available under the electoral law and the applicable timetable.
The consequences will also depend on INEC’s explanation, the contents of the official candidate list and whether any legal proceedings or administrative decisions affect Pantami’s nomination.
As of the publication of this report, the precise official reason for the reported omission has not been independently established. It would therefore be premature to conclude that the commission excluded Pantami specifically because of his defection, the membership-register dispute or the earlier court case without an authoritative explanation.
The development nevertheless places the former minister’s governorship ambition under renewed scrutiny as political parties prepare for the 2027 general election.
For voters in Gombe State, the immediate concern is whether the reported omission will be clarified and what it means for the candidates officially recognised to contest the governorship election.
Further developments will depend on INEC’s position, any relevant court decisions and the legal options available to the PDP and its candidate under the applicable electoral framework.
