Pantami picks PDP ticket for Gombe governorship

Former Minister of Communications Isa Pantami has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Gombe State for the 2027 elections, capping a high-profile defection from the All Progressives Congress.

Pantami secured the PDP ticket after leaving the APC, where he had faced sustained internal opposition and reported disagreements with party stakeholders over his political ambitions in the state.

His exit from the ruling party followed months of tensions that political observers say left him with little room to pursue his governorship bid under the APC platform.

With his emergence as the PDP flag-bearer, analysts say the former minister’s move could significantly alter the dynamics of Gombe’s 2027 governorship contest, injecting fresh competition into a race that is now expected to be closely watched.