BREAKING: Publish my name within 72hrs or else…. – Pantami give INEC ultimatum

Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) a three-day ultimatum to explain the omission of his name from the final list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election.

Pantami, through his lawyers, Ahmed Raji & Co., is demanding that INEC publish his name as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, insisting that he emerged winner of a fresh primary conducted by the party in compliance with a court order.

In a letter dated October 12, 2026, and addressed to the INEC chairman, the law firm asked the commission to publish and circulate Pantami’s name on or before Wednesday, October 14.

Lead counsel Ahmed Raji, SAN, said Pantami won the fresh PDP governorship primary held on September 29, 2026, after the party conducted a new exercise following a court judgment that nullified the earlier primary.

According to the letter, Pantami is a registered PDP member in Pantami Ward, Gombe State. He purchased the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, was screened and cleared to contest, and initially won the primary conducted on May 26, 2026.

The lawyers stated that the PDP submitted Pantami’s personal particulars, including Form EC9, to INEC on August 8, 2026. The commission subsequently published his name on August 29, in accordance with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2026, according to the petition.

However, the May 26 primary was challenged in two suits before the Federal High Court in Gombe, with the plaintiffs questioning Pantami’s membership of the PDP.

Raji said the court, in judgments delivered on September 24, 2026, resolved the membership dispute in Pantami’s favour.

“In the second suit, the court also held that the non-appearance of Pantami’s name in an exhibit tendered was not conclusive proof of non-membership. Membership of a political party is ordinarily a matter within the domestic affairs of the party,” the letter stated.

The lawyers explained that although the court nullified the May 26 primary over issues concerning its conduct, it directed the PDP to organise a fresh primary within 30 days.

The order, according to the letter, required the party to give all aspirants cleared on May 14, 2026, an opportunity to participate in the new exercise.

Pantami’s lawyers maintained that the PDP complied with the directive, notified INEC and conducted the fresh primary on September 29, with officials of the electoral commission monitoring the exercise.

They said Pantami emerged winner of the new primary but was subsequently excluded from INEC’s final list of governorship candidates published on October 10, 2026.

The law firm faulted the omission, arguing that the commission had not provided any explanation for leaving Pantami’s name off the list despite the fresh primary.

“We have our Client’s firm and unequivocal instructions to demand that the Commission, on or before Wednesday, October 14, publish and circulate the name of Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim as the candidate of the PDP for the office of Governor of Gombe State,” the letter stated.

The lawyers urged INEC to take immediate corrective action and provide written confirmation of the steps taken to address the complaint.

The demand sets up a potential dispute over the publication of the PDP’s Gombe governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 elections. However, the commission’s position on the omission was not contained in the letter.

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