2027 Gombe election: Pantami secures major boost as PDP aspirant withdraws court case

The 2027 Gombe State governorship election has taken a significant political turn as the governorship ambition of Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, received a major boost following the withdrawal of a court case challenging his emergence and the defection of two influential politicians to the party.

In a development expected to strengthen the PDP’s campaign ahead of the 2027 polls, one of the aggrieved governorship aspirants, Hon. Monica Yahaya Kaltho, formally withdrew from the legal action filed by some non-cleared aspirants challenging the outcome of the party’s governorship primary election.

The withdrawal comes amid ongoing efforts by the PDP leadership in Gombe State to reconcile aggrieved members and present a united front ahead of the governorship election.

During the PDP governorship congress, Pantami emerged as the party’s candidate through an affirmation process after other aspirants failed to scale the party’s screening exercise, a development that prompted some of them to seek judicial intervention.

Explaining her decision, Kaltho said she withdrew from the court case after extensive consultations with political associates and in response to an appeal by the leader of the PDP in Gombe State and former governor, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo.

According to her, Dankwambo urged her to place the unity and progress of the PDP above personal political interests. She described the former governor as a respected leader and father figure whose advice she deeply values, stressing that she accepted his counsel because the future of the PDP and the development of Gombe State were more important than individual ambition.

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Kaltho also reaffirmed her unwavering support for Pantami’s governorship ambition, pledging to mobilise support and work for the PDP’s victory in the 2027 Gombe governorship election. She urged party members across the state to remain united and committed to the collective goal of returning the PDP to power.

Reacting to the development, Pantami praised Kaltho for demonstrating maturity, patriotism and loyalty to the party. He said her decision to withdraw from the legal challenge reflected genuine commitment to the unity of the PDP and the overall interest of Gombe State.

Pantami assured her and other party stakeholders that everyone would be carried along in the affairs of the party, promising an inclusive leadership style anchored on consultation and mutual respect.

As a mark of appreciation, the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy personally visited Kaltho at her residence to thank her for her support and what he described as her statesmanship. He noted that sacrifices such as hers would help strengthen the PDP’s chances of winning the governorship election in 2027.

Pantami’s campaign also received another boost following the defection of Kelmi Lazarus, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in the 2023 general election.

Lazarus, a former Chairman of the SDP in Gombe State and former General Manager of Gombe Radio Corporation, announced his decision to join the PDP after what he described as wide consultations with his supporters.

He said his decision was based on his conviction that Pantami possesses the competence, integrity, vision and administrative experience required to provide purposeful leadership for Gombe State.

According to him, Pantami remains the most qualified candidate in the race and has the capacity to drive economic growth, improve governance and accelerate development across the state.

Lazarus called on his supporters and residents of Gombe State to rally behind the PDP candidate ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

In another significant development, retired Air Vice Marshal B.A. Sani also dumped his former political platform and formally joined the PDP.

The retired senior military officer declared his total support for Pantami’s governorship ambition, describing the former minister as a visionary leader with the experience and credibility required to reposition Gombe State.

Sani said Pantami’s record in public service, leadership qualities and commitment to development inspired his decision to identify with the PDP. He pledged to work for the victory of Pantami and other PDP candidates during the 2027 general elections.

Receiving the new entrants into the party, Gombe State PDP Chairman, Major General A.K. Kwaskebe (Rtd), described the defections as a major boost for the party.

He said the decision by respected political figures to join the PDP reflected growing public confidence in Pantami’s leadership and the party’s vision for inclusive governance.

The party welcomed both Kelmi Lazarus and Air Vice Marshal B.A. Sani, assuring them of equal opportunities to contribute to the PDP’s mission of building a more peaceful, united and prosperous Gombe State.

Party leaders expressed optimism that the latest endorsements and defections would further strengthen the PDP’s grassroots mobilisation ahead of the governorship election.

Although Kaltho has withdrawn from the lawsuit, legal proceedings initiated by other aggrieved aspirants challenging Pantami’s emergence are still before the court.

The PDP has consistently maintained that the process that produced Pantami complied with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act, expressing confidence that the courts will uphold his nomination.

Political observers believe the latest wave of endorsements, reconciliation efforts and high-profile defections could significantly reshape the political landscape in Gombe State as preparations for the 2027 Gombe governorship election gather momentum.

2027 Gombe election: Pantami secures major boost as PDP aspirant withdraws court case

ADC crisis deepens as Lukman suspends membership, accuses El-Rufai of hostility

A fresh crisis has hit the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections after former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Vice Chairman (North-West), Salihu Lukman, announced the suspension of his membership of the party, citing what he described as persistent hostility and marginalisation by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

Lukman disclosed his decision in a letter addressed to ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, saying he could no longer remain in a political environment where he felt isolated despite his efforts to build a formidable opposition platform.

According to him, his vision of helping transform the ADC into a strong democratic party capable of challenging for power in the 2027 elections has gradually faded because some coalition leaders are allegedly repeating the same political practices that weakened their former parties.

“I will spend some time reflecting and deciding what I want to do with my life. My expectation that we will build the ADC into a strong Democratic Party has been diminished,” Lukman stated.

He lamented that despite spending more than a year working to unite opposition leaders in Kaduna State, he had consistently been treated as the problem by El-Rufai and his political associates.

“I have spent more than a year trying to unite leaders in Kaduna. For Mallam Nasir and his people, I am the problem. I have decided to resolve the problem for them and everyone. I have suspended my membership of the party and the coalition because of the reasons above,” he said.

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Lukman argued that the opposition coalition was gradually losing sight of its original objective of strengthening Nigeria’s democracy, alleging that personal interests had begun to overshadow the broader goal of building a credible alternative political platform.

According to him, some coalition leaders appear more interested in imposing their preferences than fostering internal democracy, warning that such actions could reduce the ADC to a marginal force in the 2027 elections.

The former APC chieftain also criticised former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, accusing him of engaging with individuals in Kaduna whom he described as having questionable commitment to the party while ignoring those who had worked to strengthen the coalition.

“Already, I can see that HE Amaechi is in overdrive mode and is reaching out to people from Kaduna with questionable commitment. Whatever he wants to do with them is certainly not about building the party into a strong Democratic Party, which is why the views of those of us from Kaduna don’t matter,” Lukman stated.

Despite suspending his membership, Lukman stressed that his decision was not directed at the national leadership of the ADC.

He praised Senator David Mark and other national leaders for their commitment to the coalition, insisting that his grievance was specifically with what he described as the disdainful treatment he had received from El-Rufai and some coalition leaders in Kaduna.

“But it has everything to do with the disdainful treatment being meted out to me by some few coalition leaders, especially Mallam Nasir and his supporters in Kaduna. I am sorry, I just can’t continue,” he added.

Lukman, who previously served as Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), resigned from the APC in 2024 after criticising the ruling party’s internal democracy before joining the ADC-led coalition, where he became one of the prominent figures advocating for a united opposition ahead of the next general election.

His decision to suspend his membership is expected to intensify concerns over unity within the opposition coalition, which has in recent months attracted several high-profile politicians seeking to build a stronger platform to challenge the ruling APC in 2027.

Political observers say the development could complicate ongoing efforts to strengthen the coalition, particularly in key states such as Kaduna, where internal disagreements have continued to generate tensions among leading opposition figures.

As of the time of filing this report, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, Senator David Mark, and the ADC National Working Committee had not publicly responded to Lukman’s allegations.

The latest development comes at a critical time for the opposition coalition as consultations and realignments continue ahead of the build-up to the 2027 presidential election, with party leaders under increasing pressure to maintain unity and resolve internal disputes.

ADC crisis deepens as Lukman suspends membership, accuses El-Rufai of hostility

BREAKING: Hamzat Didn’t Know Running Mate Until APC Picked Her

The Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, has disclosed that he had no prior personal relationship with his running mate, Damilola Sonayon-James, before the party selected her as his deputy for the 2027 governorship election. Hamzat made the revelation on Thursday during the public presentation of Who Is She?, an event held at the Syrian Club Event Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos. According to Hamzat, although he played a role in defining the qualities the party should look for in a running mate, he had never personally interacted with Sonayon-James until after her emergence. He admitted that he did not even have her phone number at the time of her selection and had to obtain it from a third party.

The selection process was shaped by recommendations that received the approval of President Bola Tinubu. Hamzat explained that the President delegated the responsibility of selecting the deputy governorship candidate to party leaders after agreeing with his proposal that the position should go to a young woman. “The President called me and said, you guys go and sort it out, and I’m quoting him. I said, sir, I think it should be a female. He said, it’s okay. It should be young. He said, it’s okay,” Hamzat recounted.

The selection process also took into consideration the state’s political balancing and zoning arrangement. Since Hamzat hails from the Lagos East Senatorial District and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu comes from the Lagos Central District, the running mate had to be chosen from the Lagos West District. “We now said, okay, but we must also make sure it’s not from the east, because I’m from the east. And then the current governor is from the central, so it cannot be from central. It must be from the west,” Hamzat explained.

Despite the careful selection process, Hamzat admitted that Sonayon-James was a complete stranger to him before her emergence. “But my point is that until Damilola was elected, I don’t know her phone number. I got her phone number from somebody,” he said. The deputy governor, however, emphasised that what mattered most was her record of service and commitment to grassroots development. He described her as an active community leader who has been doing great things for her people. “But what is the important thing? The important thing is that she’s been very active in the community. She’s been doing great things,” Hamzat said.

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Hamzat also took the opportunity to encourage young women to remain optimistic about opportunities in Nigeria, urging them not to be discouraged by negative narratives about the country. “So, our young ladies, you know, if you listen on television, you hear all sorts of negative things about this country. Don’t believe it. Don’t believe it,” he said.

The Lagos State chapter of the APC officially announced Damilola Sonayon-James, the party’s Deputy Woman Leader, as Hamzat’s running mate for the 2027 governorship election in June 2026. Her nomination received the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu and the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) , the apex decision-making body of the APC in Lagos State. APC Chairman Cornelius Ojelabi said Sonayon-James emerged after extensive consultations and a rigorous selection process that considered competence, leadership capacity, grassroots acceptance, party loyalty, and the ability to contribute meaningfully to the continued development of Lagos State.

According to Ojelabi, Sonayon-James is a 41-year-old accomplished governance and development professional with over 15 years of experience spanning public policy, institutional development, sustainability, risk governance, human capital strategy, stakeholder engagement, and community development. She previously served as Supervisor for Agriculture and Social Services in Badagry-West Local Council Development Area, where she championed initiatives focused on agricultural development, women empowerment, youth inclusion, educational support, community welfare, and social intervention programmes. The Badagry-born politician is widely respected for her grassroots engagement and dedication to community development. Ojelabi described the Hamzat-Sonayon-James ticket as a blend of experience, innovation, grassroots connection, and visionary leadership capable of advancing the developmental aspirations of Lagos residents.

Hamzat secured the APC governorship ticket on May 21, 2026, polling 657,917 votes out of 657,974 accredited votes cast, while his sole challenger, Lanre Jim-Kamal, secured only one vote. His emergence is historic, as no deputy governor in the history of Lagos State has ever successfully contested to succeed their principal. Having served as Sanwo-Olu’s deputy since 2019, Hamzat is also the first deputy governor to serve two consecutive terms in the state since the return of democracy in 1999. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has officially unveiled the Hamzat-Sonayon-James ticket, describing the duo as a leadership team capable of sustaining and expanding development across Lagos State. Sanwo-Olu praised Sonayon-James as a sustainability expert and grassroots development advocate whose commitment to community development and youth empowerment reflects the aspirations of many Lagosians.

BREAKING: Hamzat Didn’t Know Running Mate Until APC Picked Her