Court Nullifies Pantami’s Governorship Ticket, Gives Strong Order To PDP

The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe has nullified the nomination of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, ordering a fresh primary election.

Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed delivered the verdict on Thursday in a legal challenge mounted by a aggrieved party member, Usman Aliyu Garry, who contested the legitimacy of Pantami’s emergence.

Garry had instituted the lawsuit after the PDP officially declared Pantami as its consensus governorship candidate on June 26, 2026, contending that the party failed to conduct a valid primary election in line with statutory requirements.

Pantami, previously an aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), dumped the ruling party for the PDP after the APC adopted Jamilu Gwamna as its consensus standard-bearer.

Following his defection, Pantami secured the PDP governorship ticket via a voice affirmation process during the party’s primary exercise held in May.

However, ruling on the matter, Justice Mohammed set aside the voice affirmation process and directed the PDP leadership to organize a new governorship primary election in strict compliance with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.