Pantami wins fresh PDP Governorship Primary in Gombe

Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2027 governorship election in Gombe State after winning the party’s court-ordered fresh primary.

The rerun primary was conducted across the 114 wards in the state’s 11 Local Government Areas on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.

Pantami had earlier emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate through a previous primary in May. However, the Federal High Court in Gombe subsequently nullified the exercise and ordered the party to conduct a fresh primary within 30 days. The court held that the earlier process did not comply with the party’s internal regulations and applicable electoral provisions.

The PDP had cleared Pantami, former member of the House of Representatives Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu Garry to contest the fresh primary.

Announcing the result of Tuesday’s exercise, Chairman of the PDP Governorship Primary Election Committee, Hon. Johnbull Tiemlong Shekarau, said 2,555 accredited members participated in the election.

According to Shekarau, Pantami secured 2,054 votes to defeat his two challengers.

Mailantarki polled 389 votes to emerge as the first runner-up, while Garry scored 112 votes to finish as the second runner-up.

“I, Hon. Johnbull Tiemlong Shekarau, hereby declare Isa Ali Pantami as the winner of this primary election and return him as the duly elected governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2027 general elections,” he declared.

Shekarau commended the national and state leadership of the PDP for their support towards the conduct of the exercise.

He also praised members of the election committee and security agencies for their roles in ensuring what he described as a peaceful and orderly primary.

The committee chairman further appreciated Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo for providing leadership and support during the exercise.

He also thanked PDP members and residents of Gombe State for their peaceful conduct throughout the process.

Pantami Appeals for Unity

In his acceptance speech, Pantami commended party members for conducting themselves peacefully during the primary.

He appealed to Mailantarki and Garry to join him in working for the success of the PDP and its candidates in the 2027 general elections.

Pantami also pledged to provide what he described as purposeful leadership if elected governor of Gombe State.

He said his administration would seek to “rescue the state from years of mis-governance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.”

The outcome of the fresh primary comes amid continuing legal disputes surrounding Pantami’s participation in the rerun.

Lawyers representing some of the aspirants who challenged the initial primary had filed an appeal and sought a stay of execution against the aspect of the Federal High Court judgment allowing Pantami to participate in another primary.

The fresh result could therefore remain subject to further legal proceedings as the dispute over the PDP’s Gombe governorship ticket continues.

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