A former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has threatened legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the omission of his name from the final list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election, demanding that the electoral body publish his name within 48 hours.
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Pantami issued the ultimatum through his legal representative, Ahmed Raji & Co., in a notice of legal action dated October 12, 2026, addressed to the INEC Chairman, following the commission’s publication of the final list of candidates on October 10, 2026, which excluded him as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the governorship election.
The former minister described the omission as unlawful and unexplained, insisting that he emerged as the PDP candidate in a fresh governorship primary conducted in compliance with court orders.
Pantami demanded that INEC publish and circulate his name as the PDP candidate for the Gombe governorship election on or before Wednesday, October 14, 2026, giving the commission three days from the date of the letter to address the matter.
In the letter titled, “Unlawful and Unexplained Omission of the Name of Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim, the Nominated Candidate of the PDP, from the Final List of Candidates for the Office of Governor of Gombe State for the 2027 General Elections — Demand for Immediate Publication Within Three (3) Days,” Pantami argued that the commission has no legal basis to exclude him from the list.
According to him, he is a registered member of the PDP at Pantami Ward in Gombe State, and the party had submitted an updated membership register containing his name to INEC.
He said that he purchased the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms, underwent screening and clearance, and initially emerged as the winner of the PDP governorship primary held on May 26, 2026.
Pantami added that the PDP submitted his personal particulars through Form EC9 to INEC on August 8, 2026, pursuant to Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, after which the commission published his name on August 29, 2026.
However, the May 26 primary was subsequently challenged in two separate suits before the Federal High Court in Gombe.
The cases were Suit No. FHC/GM/CS/9/2026, between Usman Aliyu (Garry) and the PDP and two others, and Suit No. FHC/GM/CS/10/2026, between Khamisu Ahmed and another claimant against the PDP and two others.
Pantami recalled that the claimants challenged his membership of the PDP and eligibility to contest the primary, arguing that his name was missing from the party’s membership register submitted to INEC.
But he maintained that the court rejected the arguments challenging his membership and eligibility, even though it nullified the initial primary over issues relating to the conduct of the exercise.
Citing the judgment in Suit No. FHC/GM/CS/9/2026, Pantami quoted the court as stating, “I therefore find that the Plaintiff has not established that the 3rd Defendant was legally incapable of being recognised by the 1st Defendant as its member. Accordingly, question two is resolved against the Plaintiff.”
In the second suit, the court also rejected the claimant’s argument that Pantami was ineligible because his name did not appear in the membership register submitted to the commission.
The judgment stated, “As to PDP membership, even though the 2nd Defendant’s name does not appear in Exhibit A, that fact alone is not conclusive of his non-membership.
“The Supreme Court has consistently held that membership of a political party is ordinarily a matter within the domestic affairs of the party and that it is primarily for the party to determine who its members are.”
The court further held that the PDP recognised Pantami as a member and had produced a membership card and a register containing his name.
“Accordingly, the Plaintiff has not established the 2nd Defendant’s ineligibility on the grounds advanced. Question four is resolved against the Plaintiff,” the judgment stated.
The two judgments, delivered on September 24, 2026, nevertheless nullified the May 26 primary over issues relating to the conduct of the exercise and directed the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary within 30 days.
The court ordered the party to conduct the exercise in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026, its constitution and electoral guidelines, while allowing the claimants and other aspirants whose clearance from the May 14 screening exercise remained valid to participate.
Pantami stressed that the court’s consequential orders restrained the PDP and INEC from recognising, accepting, publishing or giving effect to any nomination arising from the nullified May 26 primary.
He argued that the orders did not prohibit him from contesting a fresh primary conducted in compliance with the court’s directives.
According to him, the PDP notified INEC of the fresh primary and conducted the exercise on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, with officials of the electoral commission in attendance to observe and monitor the proceedings.
He said the exercise complied with the Electoral Act, the PDP constitution and its electoral guidelines, adding that INEC retained the monitoring report.
Pantami emerged as the winner of the fresh primary, and the party subsequently submitted his name to INEC as its candidate for the 2027 Gombe governorship election.
The former minister argued that the commission’s failure to include his name in the final list published on October 10 was unjustified, particularly because the fresh primary was conducted after the court nullified the earlier exercise.
According to him, INEC’s role in party primaries is to attend, observe, monitor and report on the exercise rather than independently disqualify candidates.
Pantami consequently demanded that the commission publish his name with the same prominence as those of other candidates on the final list and provide written confirmation of the corrective steps taken.
He expressed confidence that INEC would act in accordance with the rule of law and judicial orders but insisted that the omission must be addressed within the stipulated period.
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