Gombe guber: Court disqualifies Pantami

The federal high court in Gombe has nullified the emergence of Isa Pantami as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2027 governorship election in the state.

The court, in a judgment delivered yesterday by Amina Aliyu Mohammed, ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary in compliance with its constitution, guidelines and relevant electoral laws.

The judgment followed a suit filed by Usman Garry, a PDP governorship aspirant, who challenged the process through which Pantami emerged as the party’s candidate.

In May, Pantami withdrew from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election scheduled for May 21 in Gombe state.

Pantami attributed his withdrawal from the race to the alleged breaches of the electoral process.

He eventually joined the PDP and emerged as the party’s 2027 governorship candidate in Gombe state.

The former minister secured the ticket through voice affirmation during the party’s gubernatorial primary.
Garry objected to the affirmation of Pantami as the flagbearer of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led faction and eventually filed a suit against the former minister.

Garry had asked the court to set aside Pantami’s emergence on the grounds that the PDP did not conduct a valid governorship primary in accordance with its rules and applicable electoral laws.

After hearing arguments from the parties, the court had reserved judgment in July.

At yesterday’s proceedings, counsel to Pantami argued that he had validly resigned from the APC on May 19, before participating in the PDP primary.

The PDP also opposed the suit and urged the court to strike out the case.

Garry’s counsel, however, urged the court to dismiss the objections and grant the reliefs sought by his client.

The court, however, directed the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary in accordance with its guidelines and applicable electoral provisions.