Pantami loses PDP governorship ticket

The Peoples Democratic Party will have to conduct another governorship primary in Gombe State after the Federal High Court sitting in the state nullified the process that produced former Communications and Digital Economy Minister Isa Ali Pantami as its candidate for the 2027 election.

Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed issued the order on Thursday in a suit instituted by Usman Aliyu Garry, a PDP governorship aspirant who challenged Pantami’s emergence.

The court directed the party to organise a fresh primary in compliance with its guidelines and applicable electoral laws.

Garry had challenged the validity of the process through which Pantami emerged as the party’s candidate, contending that the required procedure for selecting the governorship candidate was not followed.

Pantami became the PDP’s candidate after leaving the All Progressives Congress, following the APC’s decision to settle on Jamilu Gwamna as its consensus candidate.

He subsequently joined the PDP and emerged through voice affirmation at the party’s governorship primary in May. The party later formally presented him as its sole candidate on June 26.

The process, however, faced opposition from other aspirants, including Garry, who proceeded to court to challenge Pantami’s candidacy.

Pantami and the PDP opposed the suit during the proceedings and maintained their position on the validity of his emergence.

Thursday’s ruling has now set aside Pantami’s PDP ticket and returned the governorship contest to the party’s primary process.

The PDP is therefore required to conduct another governorship primary in Gombe in line with its internal rules and relevant electoral requirements before determining its candidate for the 2027 poll.