A former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) that the credibility of its governorship primary in Gombe State will determine both the party’s internal stability and the confidence of the people in the country’s democratic process.
He said the ruling party needs to hold a fair, independent and transparent primary if it wants to keep the confidence of its members and the voters before the 2027 elections.
According to reports, Pantami spoke with journalists on Saturday, May 9, after he was screened at the APC governorship aspirants’ exercise in the Kaduna State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.
The ex-minister has been a prominent voice against the purported consensus arrangement in Gombe State, in the wake of the alleged endorsement of Jamilu Isiyaku Gwamna as the party’s consensus candidate.
Earlier, Pantami had described the arrangement as a “charade” and vowed to resist it in “unprecedented” manner.
Speaking after the screening, Pantami said the decision by APC national leadership to invite all aspirants for screening showed that the party still had a chance to prove that it was committed to fairness and internal justice.
He said: “Since we were invited for screening, it is an indication that the party at the national level has given every Nigerian a fair chance.
Pantami said internal democracy remains central to the survival of any political party adding that APC must ensure that its processes are not only fair but are seen to be fair by members and the public.
He said justice within the political parties is critical for the growth and survival of democracy in Nigeria.
He said if direct primaries were conducted credibly and protected from manipulation, they could strengthen the APC.
“Direct primary elections must be transparent, fair and independent. Anyone that has bias should not be in charge of it,” Pantami added.
The former minister, however, praised the conduct of the exercise, terming it processional and encouraging.
He said the screening committee handled the aspirants in a friendly and objective manner.
“Very transparent, very objective, very friendly and it is really encouraging so far,” he said.
Pantami argued that his ambition to govern Gombe State was not predicated on empty campaign promises but on what he described as a record of measurable performance in public office.
“I’ve got my scorecard,” he said. “This is not the first time I am going into public office.”
The former minister said independent assessments by KPMG, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation ranked him as the best performing cabinet member in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2023.
Also, the immediate past Minister of Foreign Affairs and Bauchi governorship aspirant, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, described his own screening as smooth.
He said his years of experience in the APC and its legacy parties made the process easy.
But he expressed doubts over the possibility of a consensus arrangement in Bauchi State, saying the number of aspirants in the race made such an option unlikely.
The former minister urged the APC to prioritise and commit to grassroots politicians, stressing that the party’s strength is in candidates who have defected to the party.
