A Federal High Court in Gombe has nullified the governorship ticket of Prof. Isa Ali Pantami under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ordering the party to conduct a fresh primary election in Gombe State. The court declared that the process that produced Pantami as the party’s candidate did not meet legal and constitutional requirements.
Court Delivers Judgement on Pantami’s Candidacy
Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed delivered the judgement on Thursday in a suit filed by Usman Aliyu Garry, who challenged the legitimacy of Pantami’s emergence as the PDP governorship candidate. Garry argued that the party skipped a proper primary election before announcing Pantami as its candidate.
The court agreed with Garry’s contention, ruling that the PDP failed to conduct an actual primary election as required under the party’s own guidelines and Nigeria’s electoral laws. The court ordered the PDP to hold a fresh, properly conducted primary election that complies with both the party’s internal rules and the relevant legal framework.
How Pantami Emerged as PDP Candidate
Pantami’s path to the PDP ticket began after the All Progressives Congress (APC) chose Jamilu Gwamna through a consensus arrangement, leaving Pantami without a platform in his former party. He subsequently defected to the PDP, where he secured the governorship ticket through a voice affirmation exercise during a party primary held in May.
On June 26, 2026, the PDP formally announced Pantami as its sole governorship candidate in Gombe State. However, the court’s ruling has now invalidated that announcement, casting doubt on the party’s governorship plans in the state.
Implications for PDP’s 2027 Governorship Ambitions
The ruling raises significant questions about the PDP’s governorship plans in Gombe State ahead of the 2027 general elections, given that Pantami had already been publicly presented as the party’s candidate. The party now faces the task of organising a new primary election that meets legal standards, a process that could reshape its candidate selection in the state.
The judgement underscores the judiciary’s role in enforcing electoral compliance, and the PDP must now comply with the court’s order to conduct a fresh primary in accordance with established procedures.
