Gombe 2027: Pantami dominates online poll with 83.91% of 58,358 votes

Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has recorded a commanding lead in two separate online polls ahead of the 2027 Gombe State governorship election, attracting more than three-quarters of the votes in both exercises.

The latest poll, conducted by Gombawa, a platform focused on developments in Gombe State, showed Pantami securing 48,968 votes out of 58,358 votes cast, representing 83.91 per cent of the total.

The result, recorded as of 6:32 a.m. on Monday, August 31, 2026, placed the former minister far ahead of former Deputy Governor Jamilu Isiyaku Gwamna, who polled 7,213 votes, representing 12.36 per cent.

Bala Bello Tinka received 2,177 votes, representing 3.73 per cent of the total votes recorded in the poll.

Pantami’s 48,968 votes were more than four times the combined 9,390 votes received by Gwamna and Tinka.

The Gombawa result came days after another online poll on the Gombe 2027 governorship race conducted by journalist Mustapha Musa Kaita of TRT Afrika.

In the August 24 poll, Pantami received 521 of the 676 responses, representing 77.07 per cent.

Gwamna polled 92 votes, representing 13.61 per cent, while 63 responses, or 9.32 per cent, were recorded as invalid.

The results of the two online exercises have generated renewed attention around Pantami’s 2027 Gombe governorship ambition, particularly as political parties and candidates intensify preparations for the election.

However, the poll results should not be interpreted as a scientific prediction of the outcome of the election.

Both exercises were conducted online, meaning participation was voluntary and largely limited to people who had access to the platforms and chose to participate. The results therefore reflect the preferences of participants in the respective polls rather than the voting intentions of all registered voters in Gombe State.

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Despite the limitation, Pantami’s strong performance in the two exercises provides his supporters with a notable indication of his popularity among the online audiences reached by the polls.

The development also comes against the backdrop of major political realignments in Gombe State ahead of the 2027 election.

Pantami, who previously belonged to the All Progressives Congress (APC), is now the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

He emerged as the PDP candidate after securing the party’s ticket in May 2026.

His emergence followed a political dispute within the APC over the process for selecting its governorship candidate in the state.

Pantami had rejected the APC consensus arrangement that produced former Deputy Governor Jamilu Gwamna as the party’s preferred candidate, arguing that the process did not meet the requirements for a valid consensus.

He subsequently left the APC and joined the PDP, where he secured the opposition party’s governorship ticket.

The former minister later received the PDP’s Certificate of Return, formally confirming him as the party’s candidate for the 2027 Gombe governorship election.

Pantami’s political profile has been strengthened by his previous experience in federal government, having served as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

His supporters have repeatedly highlighted his record in public service, particularly his role in Nigeria’s digital economy drive, as one of the factors behind his growing political profile in Gombe.

Pantami has also said concerns about poverty and the need for more inclusive development influenced his decision to seek the governorship of the state.

His campaign will, however, have to translate his national profile and reported online popularity into a strong grassroots political structure across Gombe.

The eventual election is expected to be influenced by several factors, including party structures, grassroots mobilisation, campaign organisation, political alliances, voter registration, geographical spread of support and voter turnout.

The strength of each candidate’s organisation across Gombe’s three senatorial districts is also expected to play a significant role as the election approaches.

For Pantami, one of the major tests will be whether the support reflected in online polls can be converted into sustained support among voters who may not participate in social-media or internet-based surveys.

The size of an online poll should also not automatically be confused with representativeness. Although the Gombawa exercise attracted more than 58,000 votes, the figure does not by itself establish that the participants accurately represent the wider Gombe electorate.

A scientific opinion poll normally uses a defined sampling methodology designed to reflect the characteristics of the population being studied.

The latest online results should therefore be regarded as a measure of online voter sentiment rather than an authoritative forecast of the 2027 election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the Gombe State governorship election for March 6, 2027, leaving several months for political developments, alliances and voter preferences to change before election day.

The period leading to the election is therefore expected to witness increased campaign activities, political defections, grassroots mobilisation and debates over the records and programmes of the various candidates.

The contest between the major political parties could also become increasingly competitive as candidates seek to establish structures across the state.

For now, Pantami’s performance in the two online polls has given his campaign a significant talking point, particularly after recording 83.91 per cent of 58,358 votes in the latest exercise.

Whether that online momentum can translate into broader grassroots support and ultimately votes at the ballot box, however, will only become clearer as the Gombe 2027 governorship election draws closer.

Gombe 2027: Pantami dominates online poll with 83.91% of 58,358 votes

Amaechi: Atiku will restore electricity subsidy if elected in 2027

Former Rivers State governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will restore electricity subsidy if elected president in the 2027 presidential election.

Amaechi made the declaration on Thursday during ward visits across Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he campaigned for the ADC and presented Atiku’s message to residents.

The former governor criticised the electricity tariff policies of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, arguing that changes in the power sector had increased the financial burden on electricity consumers.

Using his personal electricity bill as an example, Amaechi claimed that his monthly bill had risen from N500,000 to N4 million.

“My house electricity bill was N500,000; now I pay N4 million. Atiku said if he comes, I will go back to N500,000. No more Band A and B because government will subsidise it,” he said. (Vanguard News)

Amaechi said Atiku had promised to reintroduce government support for electricity costs if elected, arguing that such intervention would make power more affordable for households and businesses.

“Atiku said I should tell you people that he will bring back the subsidy. Tinubu removed subsidy for electricity bill. He said Band A, B and C,” Amaechi said.

His comments come amid an ongoing debate over the future of electricity subsidies in Nigeria, with the Federal Government seeking to reduce its financial burden on the power sector.

Nigeria operates a differentiated electricity tariff system in which consumers are placed in service bands according to the number of hours of supply they are expected to receive. Band A customers are expected to receive at least 20 hours of electricity supply per day, while Bands B, C, D and E have progressively lower minimum supply requirements.

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The tariff structure was designed to link the amount consumers pay more closely to the level of electricity service they receive.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) increased the tariff for Band A customers in April 2024, moving the rate from N66 to N225 per kilowatt-hour. The regulator said the review was intended to reduce the government’s subsidy burden while supporting improvements in electricity supply.

Despite the tariff reforms, the Federal Government has continued to spend significant sums to subsidise electricity.

According to figures contained in the government’s Economic Reform Scorecard, the Federal Government spent N3.14 trillion on electricity subsidies between June 2023 and December 2025 to cushion consumers from the impact of higher electricity tariffs. The subsidy expenditure rose from N177 billion in 2023 to N1.48 trillion in 2024 and stood at N1.47 trillion in 2025. (TheCable)

The government has, however, announced plans to gradually phase out electricity subsidy payments from 2027.

Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe said in July that the government planned to end the subsidy regime from next year as part of efforts to address the financial challenges confronting the power sector.

Tegbe also said the planned phase-out should not be interpreted as an immediate increase in electricity tariffs, stressing that the government was focused on improving supply, expanding metering and making the sector more financially sustainable.

The policy position puts the Federal Government and the opposition ADC on different sides of an increasingly important issue ahead of the 2027 elections.

While the government argues that continued subsidies place a heavy financial burden on public finances and that the power sector needs a more sustainable funding model, Amaechi is campaigning on a promise that an Atiku administration would restore government support for electricity consumers.

Amaechi also attacked the Tinubu administration over the removal of petrol subsidy, blaming the policy for higher transportation costs and rising prices of food and other essential commodities.

“He (Tinubu) just held microphone and didn’t care. He just said remove subsidy. Since he removed subsidy, transportation increased, food prices increased — tomatoes, corn, everything,” he said.

The former governor further linked the country’s insecurity crisis to worsening economic conditions, particularly for farmers.

According to Amaechi, insecurity has made it increasingly difficult for farmers to access their farms, affecting food production and contributing to higher prices.

“Insecurity also increased. You no even fit go farm, and government doesn’t care,” he said.

He then reiterated Atiku’s proposed subsidy policy, saying: “Atiku said he will bring back subsidy. If Atiku brings back subsidy, everything will come down.”

Amaechi’s comments form part of the ADC’s campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the opposition party positioning economic hardship, electricity costs, fuel prices, food inflation and insecurity as key issues for voters.

The former governor’s claim that his electricity bill increased from N500,000 to N4 million was presented as a personal example of the financial impact he associates with the current tariff regime. The claim has not been independently verified in the reports reviewed.

The broader debate over electricity subsidy is expected to intensify as the government moves towards its planned 2027 phase-out and political parties develop competing proposals for reducing the cost of electricity while ensuring the financial sustainability of the power sector.

For the ADC, Amaechi’s promise that Atiku would restore electricity subsidy provides a direct political response to the Federal Government’s plan, placing electricity tariffs and subsidy policy among the issues likely to dominate the 2027 election campaign.

Amaechi: Atiku will restore electricity subsidy if elected in 2027

Atiku Vows to Scrap NELFUND, Offers Student Debt Forgiveness if elected

ADC presidential candidate slams Tinubu’s ‘witchcraft economics,’ says President raised school fees before offering loans as ‘rescue’

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to review and effectively scrap the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) policy while providing debt forgiveness for qualifying Nigerian students if elected president in 2027. Atiku’s position was disclosed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in a statement issued on Tuesday evening. The statement came in response to President Bola Tinubu’s recent post on X, in which the president criticised Atiku’s economic positions without directly mentioning him. Shaibu dismissed Tinubu’s invocation of NELFUND as proof that education had become more affordable under his administration, describing the argument as dishonest. He contended that the President had first driven up the cost of education before presenting loans as a rescue package. “Celebrating NELFUND as proof that education has become affordable under your government is like setting school fees on fire and then boasting that you lent students a bucket of water,” Shaibu queried. He described the arrangement as “witchcraft economics,” stating: “You make education more expensive, lend students money to survive the increase, and then demand applause for the rescue. That is not affordability. It is witchcraft economics: create the burden with one hand, offer debt with the other, and demand applause for the intervention.”

According to Shaibu, Atiku has already conducted a review of the existing student-loan framework and does not believe young Nigerians should begin their working lives under the weight of education debt. “His approach will reduce the underlying cost of education and, after review, provide forgiveness for qualifying student debts so that young Nigerians can graduate with hope rather than repayment burdens. Education should open doors, not mortgage the future,” said Shaibu. Shaibu insisted that a student loan, by its nature, could not be mistaken for a scholarship, and that the true measure of any education policy was whether families could keep their children in school without being forced into borrowing. He pointed out that government should not “parade the loan itself as evidence that the system is working” once the underlying cost of education has become prohibitive for ordinary families. He further accused the presidency of deploying scare tactics against Nigerian students and workers by suggesting that Atiku’s proposed energy intervention, targeted at Nigerian crude supplied for domestic refining, would somehow undermine NELFUND, cut salaries or reverse the minimum wage. “If your government has the arithmetic, Bola, publish it. Show Nigerians, line by line, how a transparently budgeted subsidy tied to Nigerian crude and domestic refining suddenly empties NELFUND or workers’ pay packets,” he demanded. Shaibu maintained that Atiku’s position was the direct opposite of what the presidency had claimed, insisting that reducing the cost of energy and transportation would leave workers’ salaries and students’ upkeep going further rather than less. “Reduce the cost of energy so that salaries buy more. Reduce transport costs so that less of a worker’s wage disappears merely getting to work. You cannot make life painfully expensive, push students towards debt to survive the consequences, and then frighten those same students that cheaper fuel will take their loans away,” he declared.

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Meanwhile, a NELFUND board member representing students, Comrade Umar Farouk Lawal, has faulted Atiku’s comments and challenged the former vice president to provide evidence that President Tinubu ordered an increase in tuition fees in tertiary institutions. Lawal, in a statement on Wednesday, said there was no evidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered an increase in tuition fees in federal or state-owned tertiary institutions. He challenged Atiku and heads of tertiary institutions across the country to produce any presidential directive, circular, memo, or official document showing that President Tinubu ordered an increase in tuition fees. He described the allegation as misleading, saying political discussions about the education and future of Nigerian students should be based on facts and verifiable evidence. “As the Board Member representing Students on the Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), I wish to state categorically that at no time has Mr. President ordered the increment of tuition fees in any federal or state-owned tertiary institution in Nigeria,” Lawal stated.

Lawal defended the NELFUND scheme, saying the Fund was established to ensure that financial difficulties do not prevent Nigerian students from accessing higher education. He cited figures indicating that more than 1.38 million students had benefited from the scheme as of April 2026, with over N242 billion disbursed for tuition and upkeep support. As of August 2026, the total disbursement had reportedly reached over N322 billion through more than 1.6 million student loan applications. He rejected the description of NELFUND as merely a response to alleged increases in school fees, saying such a characterisation misrepresented the purpose and impact of the Fund. “NELFUND is a major intervention designed to expand access to tertiary education and provide financial relief to students from families who may otherwise struggle to meet the cost of their education,” he stated.

Lawal also challenged Atiku to explain what aspects of NELFUND he intended to review and how his proposed alternative would improve on the existing system. “If Alhaji Atiku Abubakar believes that NELFUND requires a review, Nigerians deserve to know what exactly he intends to review, what aspect of the existing framework he considers inadequate, and how his proposed alternative will improve upon the support currently being provided to students,” he said. On reports that Atiku’s proposal could include debt forgiveness for qualifying beneficiaries, the NELFUND board member said Nigerians should be told how such a policy would be funded and implemented without undermining the sustainability of the student loan system. Lawal further clarified that decisions by individual tertiary institutions to review or adjust their charges should not automatically be attributed to the President. He noted that federal and state tertiary institutions have governing structures and authorities responsible for determining institutional charges within the applicable regulatory framework. He urged political leaders, particularly those seeking the presidency, to make constructive, evidence-based, and student-centered contributions to discussions on the future of education in Nigeria. “It will be wrong to discredit an initiative that has provided tangible assistance to millions of Nigerian students without presenting credible evidence to support such allegations,” he said. Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s special adviser on information and strategy, and Daniel Bwala, special adviser on policy communication, were unavailable for comment. Text and WhatsApp messages sent to them had not been answered as of press time.

Atiku Vows to Scrap NELFUND, Offers Student Debt Forgiveness if elected