A Federal High Court sitting in Gombe has nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary that produced Professor Isa Ali Pantami as its candidate and ordered the party to conduct a fresh governorship primary in Gombe State. The ruling, delivered by Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed, followed a suit filed by Usman Aliyu Garry, who challenged Pantami’s emergence as the PDP governorship candidate. Garry argued that the required primary election was not conducted after the party announced Pantami as its sole candidate on June 26, 2026.
The court’s decision effectively nullifies Pantami’s ticket and directs the PDP to organise a new primary in line with the party’s guidelines and relevant electoral laws. Pantami, a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, had defected to the PDP after losing the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket to Jamilu Gwamna, who emerged as the APC consensus candidate. He subsequently secured the PDP ticket through voice affirmation during the party’s governorship primary held in May.
The ruling marks a significant political shake-up ahead of the 2027 elections and throws the PDP’s governorship ticket in Gombe State open for a fresh contest, subject to any further legal proceedings. It is a major setback for Pantami, who had appeared to have sealed the opposition party’s ticket after his defection from the ruling APC. The PDP is now expected to organise a new primary election in compliance with the court’s order and its own guidelines. Political observers in Gombe State are closely watching how the party will navigate the fresh primary and who will ultimately emerge as its standard-bearer for the 2027 governorship race. The development is likely to reshape political calculations in Gombe as parties prepare for the next general election cycle.
— Based on reporting by Podium Reporters