The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe has reserved judgment in a pre-election suit challenging the emergence of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Gombe State.
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The suit was filed by a PDP governorship aspirant, Khamisu Mailantarki, who is contesting the validity of the party’s governorship primary held on May 26.
After hearing arguments from counsel to the parties, Justice Amina-Aliyu Mohammed reserved judgment and said a date for the decision would be communicated to the parties.
Speaking after the proceedings, Mailantarki’s lead counsel, Mustapha Ibrahim, SAN, said the claimant is asking the court to nullify the primary election on the ground that the process was allegedly compromised by the participation of a person he claimed was not qualified to contest.
According to him, both the substantive suit and the defendants’ preliminary objections were argued before the court, paving the way for judgment.
Ibrahim dismissed concerns over the withdrawal of the second plaintiff from the case, insisting that the suit remains competent because Mailantarki, the principal claimant, is still pursuing the action.
He said the court is being asked to set aside the outcome of the May 26 primary and order the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary involving only eligible aspirants.
The senior lawyer alleged that Pantami was not a registered member of the PDP at the time the primary was conducted and therefore ought not to have participated in the exercise.
Counsel to the PDP, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, confirmed that three pre-election matters involving the party are before the court.
He said Mailantarki’s suit had been argued and reserved for judgment, while another related case was adjourned to July 23. He added that a separate suit filed by another aspirant against the PDP and its governorship candidate would come up for adoption of processes before a judgment date is fixed.
The court’s decision is expected to determine whether the PDP governorship primary in Gombe State will stand or whether the party will be ordered to conduct a fresh exercise ahead of the 2027 general election.
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