Gombe Guber: Court Nullifies Pantami’s PDP Ticket, Directs Fresh Primary

The Federal High Court in Gombe has nullified Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami’s emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 election and ordered the party to conduct a fresh primary.

Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed issued the order on Thursday while delivering judgment in a suit filed by PDP governorship aspirant, Usman Aliyu Garry, who challenged the process that produced Pantami as the party’s candidate.

Garry had asked the court to set aside Pantami’s nomination, arguing that the process did not comply with the PDP’s guidelines and relevant electoral laws.

Pantami and the PDP opposed the suit, maintaining that his emergence was valid and complied with the party’s procedures and the law.

Pantami, a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, joined the PDP after withdrawing from the APC governorship primary following disagreements over the process that produced Jamilu Gwamna as the party’s candidate.

He later emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate at the party’s primary held on May 26, where he was presented as the sole aspirant and affirmed through a voice vote.

His emergence was opposed by several PDP aspirants, including Garry, Abdulkadir Hamma Saleh, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki and Monica Kaltho.

The aspirants had questioned Pantami’s participation in the PDP contest after his recent departure from the APC.

Garry subsequently approached the Federal High Court, seeking an order to invalidate Pantami’s candidacy.

During the proceedings, Garry’s lawyer urged the court to grant the reliefs sought, while Pantami’s legal team asked the court to dismiss the suit, insisting that the process leading to his emergence was lawful.

Justice Mohammed later reserved judgment.

With Thursday’s ruling, the court has set aside Pantami’s emergence and directed the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary in line with its guidelines and applicable electoral laws.

The new primary will determine the party’s candidate for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election.

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