GOMBE — The Federal High Court in Gombe has nullified the emergence of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Gombe State in the 2027 election, ordering the party to conduct a fresh primary within 30 days.
Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed, in a judgment delivered on Thursday, September 24, 2026, set aside Pantami’s nomination after a legal challenge to the process through which he emerged as the party’s candidate.
The ruling means the PDP will have to reopen its governorship selection process in Gombe and nominate a candidate through a primary conducted in accordance with the party’s constitution, guidelines and applicable electoral laws.
The case was brought by PDP governorship aspirants, including Usman Garry and Khamisu Mailantarki, who challenged Pantami’s emergence and argued that the process did not comply with the party’s rules and electoral requirements.
Court faults process that produced Pantami
Pantami emerged as the PDP’s candidate in May after joining the party following his withdrawal from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship contest.
He was affirmed through a voice vote at a PDP governorship primary held on May 26, 2026.
The process was subsequently challenged by rival aspirants, who argued that eligible aspirants who had undergone the party’s screening process were excluded from the nomination exercise.
The Federal High Court ultimately ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary within 30 days and, according to Channels Television, directed Pantami to stop presenting himself as the party’s governorship candidate in Gombe.
The ruling followed arguments from the parties over whether the PDP had complied with its internal procedures and relevant electoral provisions in selecting its candidate.
Pantami’s political switch
Pantami had initially sought the APC governorship ticket in Gombe but withdrew from the contest on May 19, citing what he described as irregularities in the party’s primary process.
He subsequently moved to the PDP and secured its governorship ticket within days.
His rapid transition from the APC to the PDP and subsequent emergence as the opposition party’s candidate triggered legal challenges from other aspirants.
One of the issues raised in the litigation concerned Pantami’s membership of the PDP and his participation in the party’s nomination process after previously contesting within the APC.
However, the court did not grant the relief seeking his removal from the PDP, instead focusing its order on the validity of the governorship nomination process.
Fresh primary now required
The court’s order places the PDP under a 30-day deadline to conduct another governorship primary in Gombe.
The fresh exercise will have to comply with the party’s constitution and guidelines as well as applicable electoral laws, according to the judgment.
The ruling also reopens the PDP’s 2027 governorship contest in Gombe, as the party must now determine a candidate through the court-ordered process.
The development adds another layer of legal and organisational uncertainty to the 2027 election cycle, where disputes over party primaries and candidate selection have already generated litigation across several states.
Pantami’s ministerial background
Pantami served as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy from 2019 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
His political entry into the Gombe governorship race followed his withdrawal from the APC contest and subsequent defection to the PDP.
The latest judgment does not determine who will emerge as the PDP’s candidate in the fresh primary. That decision will depend on the party’s new nomination process and the aspirants eligible to participate.
For the PDP, the immediate task is therefore to comply with the court’s 30-day order and conduct a fresh primary capable of withstanding further legal challenge.
