2027: Pantami Breaks Silence as INEC Excludes Him From Final Gombe Governorship List

Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, has reacted to the exclusion of his name from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election, urging supporters to remain calm as his political camp works to resolve the issue.

Pantami’s name was missing from the list released by INEC on Saturday, October 10, 2026, despite his emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate following a fresh primary election conducted on September 29.

In a statement shared on Pantami’s verified Facebook page, the Pantamiyya Movement’s spokesperson, Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe, described the development as a temporary setback and assured supporters that efforts were underway to address the omission.

“This is a temporary challenge and a normal part of the electoral process, not a final determination,” the statement said.

Mohammed disclosed that the movement’s legal and liaison teams were engaging with relevant PDP organs and INEC to secure what they described as a correction within the period permitted by law.

He also alleged that political opponents were working behind the scenes to frustrate Pantami’s governorship ambition, although the statement did not provide evidence identifying those allegedly involved.

The statement urged members of the PDP and the Pantamiyya Movement to remain united, continue their mobilisation and avoid being distracted by the development.

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“We urge our supporters to continue their mobilisation and to remain focused on our collective ideology of service to humanity,” Mohammed said.

INEC’s published list contains 16 governorship candidates for Gombe State, but it does not include Pantami or a PDP candidate. Among those listed are Jamilu Gwamna of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bala Tinka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Babayo Kumo of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

The omission comes after a series of legal disputes over the PDP’s nomination process in Gombe State.

Pantami initially emerged as the party’s governorship candidate in May 2026 after leaving the APC, where he had sought the party’s ticket. His initial nomination was subsequently challenged by fellow aspirants, including Khamisu Mailantarki and Usman Garry.

On September 24, the Federal High Court in Gombe nullified the original nomination and ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary within 30 days. The court found that the earlier process did not comply with the party’s procedures and applicable electoral laws, including the exclusion of some aspirants who had been screened and cleared to participate.

The court did not grant a separate request seeking Pantami’s removal from the PDP.

Following the ruling, the PDP conducted a fresh primary on September 29, in which Pantami again emerged as the party’s candidate. However, the outcome continued to face objections from rival aspirants.

Mailantarki reportedly challenged Pantami’s eligibility, arguing that he had joined the PDP after the relevant party-register deadline. The dispute has added another layer of uncertainty to the party’s efforts to secure representation in the 2027 Gombe governorship election.

INEC has not publicly explained in the reports reviewed why Pantami’s name and the PDP’s nomination were absent from the final list.

The omission does not, on its own, establish the precise legal or administrative reason for the decision. The outcome will depend on the applicable electoral requirements and any further action by the commission, the party or the courts.

The 2027 Gombe governorship election is scheduled for February 6, 2027. With Pantami’s camp saying it is engaging the relevant institutions, attention will now focus on whether the omission can be resolved within the legally permitted period.

For the PDP, the development presents a challenge as it seeks to participate in the Gombe contest. For Pantami and his supporters, the immediate priority is to establish the reason for the omission and determine the available legal options.