Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami has been announced as the winner of the PDP repeat Governorship Primary election for Gombe State. The election, which was held in 114 wards across the eleven Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State, saw Pantami secure 2,054 votes. This makes him the governorship flag bearer for the PDP in next year's general elections. The election was conducted after a Federal High Court in Gombe ordered a repeat of the primary election.
The primary election committee, chaired by Hon Johnbull Shekarau, announced the results at the State PDP Secretariat. INEC officials from the Gombe office were present at the collation and announcement of the primary election. The committee commended the peaceful conduct of the election. Pantami's victory comes after he lost the APC Governorship ticket to Dr Jamilu Isiyaku Gwamna and subsequently joined the PDP.
The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe had ordered INEC to conduct a fresh primary election after two other candidates, Ahmed Khamisu Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu Garry, approached the Court, praying that Pantami was not a member of the PDP and so was ineligible to be the flag bearer of the party. The court ruled that Pantami was a member of the PDP and ordered that a fresh primary election be conducted within one month.
In the election, Mailantarki secured 389 votes, while Garry polled 112 votes. Pantami's emergence as the winner of the primary election was through a direct primary election held in the 114 wards. The PDP had initially announced Pantami as its sole candidate on June 26th, 2026, but the court's intervention led to the repeat of the primary election.
Pantami, a former APC Governorship aspirant, joined the PDP a few days after losing the APC ticket. He secured the PDP ticket through a voice affirmation vote during the party's Governorship primary held on May 26, 2027. The court's ruling and the subsequent primary election have now cleared the way for Pantami to contest the governorship election.
Mailantarki and Garry had earlier written to the PDP and INEC, calling on them to prevent Pantami from participating in the primary election. However, the court's ruling and the primary election committee's announcement have confirmed Pantami's eligibility to contest the election. The INEC officials' presence at the collation and announcement of the primary election ensured the process was transparent and in line with electoral guidelines.
With Pantami's victory, the PDP now has a governorship flag bearer for next year's general elections in Gombe State. The party is expected to intensify its campaign efforts ahead of the election. Pantami's emergence is also seen as a significant development in the state's politics, with the PDP seeking to gain ground in the region.
Key points
- Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami secured 2,054 votes to win the PDP repeat Governorship Primary election in Gombe State.
- The primary election was conducted after a Federal High Court ordered a repeat of the election due to a challenge by two other candidates.
- Pantami will be the PDP's governorship flag bearer in next year's general elections in Gombe State.
