The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has omitted former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, from the final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship election in Gombe State.
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Pantami, who emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party candidate and whose name appeared on the provisional list published on August 29, was absent from the final list released by the Commission on Saturday. The official INEC document contains 16 governorship candidates and their running mates, with no PDP candidate listed for Gombe State.
Among those listed are Bala Bello Tinka of the African Democratic Congress, Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna of the All Progressives Congress, Babayo Ardo Kumo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Zubairu Mu’azu Halilu of the Labour Party, Lamela L. Silas of the Allied Peoples Movement, Ibrahim Jalo Abubakar of the Peoples Redemption Party and Adamu Mohammed Ma’aji of the Social Democratic Party.
Pantami’s omission comes after a series of legal disputes surrounding the PDP governorship ticket in the state.
The former minister joined the PDP after leaving the APC on May 19 and subsequently emerged as the party’s governorship candidate.
His nomination was challenged by Ahmed Mailantarki, one of the aspirants in the PDP primary. The Federal High Court in Gombe later nullified the initial primary and directed the party to conduct a fresh exercise. Pantami again emerged as the PDP candidate following the court-ordered rerun.
The development also comes against the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, which restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 after the Court of Appeal had earlier declared the provisions unconstitutional.
The restored provisions regulate political party membership registers and aspects of candidate nomination. They have generated renewed scrutiny over whether persons participating in party primaries were validly captured in membership registers submitted to INEC within the period prescribed by law.
However, INEC’s published final list does not state that the Supreme Court judgment was the specific reason for Pantami’s omission.
Uncertainty had surrounded Pantami’s candidacy in recent days after INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna indicated that the Supreme Court judgment could affect the ability of some political parties to field candidates where the requirements relating to party membership and nominations were not satisfied.
Following the publication of the final list, Pantami’s political camp and the PDP in Gombe urged supporters to remain calm, describing the development as a temporary setback rather than a final determination of his candidacy.
In a statement published on Pantami’s verified Facebook page and signed by Prof. Suleiman Mohammed, the group said its legal and liaison teams were engaging the PDP and INEC to address the omission through the process permitted by law.
“Our legal and liaison teams are already engaging with the relevant organs of the party and INEC to ensure full compliance and rectification within the window provided by law,” the statement said.
The group urged supporters to continue political mobilisation while awaiting the outcome of the engagements.
Pantami’s omission therefore leaves the PDP without a candidate on INEC’s presently published final list for the Gombe governorship election, while 16 other political parties have candidates listed for the February 6 poll.
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