The name of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, is reportedly missing from the final list of governorship candidates for Gombe State released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 elections.
The development comes amid legal and political disputes surrounding Pantami’s emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the state.
Pantami initially emerged as the PDP flagbearer in May 2026. However, on September 24, a Federal High Court sitting in Gombe nullified the primary election that produced him and directed the party to conduct a fresh exercise in accordance with its guidelines and applicable electoral laws.
Following the court ruling, Pantami participated in a fresh PDP governorship primary held on September 29, where he reportedly secured 2,054 votes to defeat Khamisu Mailantarki, who received 389 votes, and Aliyu Garry, who scored 112 votes.
Despite his victory in the rerun, his reported absence from the final INEC list has raised questions about the status of his nomination ahead of the 2027 Gombe governorship election.
However, the precise reason for his reported omission has not been independently established. Further clarification from INEC and the PDP would be necessary to determine the circumstances surrounding the development.
Pantami served as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy under former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2023 before joining the PDP to pursue his governorship ambition in Gombe State.
The 2027 governorship election is scheduled for February 6, 2027, according to INEC’s published election calendar.
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