Professor Isa Ali Pantami has re-emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Gombe State. He won the court-ordered rerun primary conducted across the state’s 11 local government areas on Tuesday. Pantami polled 2,054 votes. His challengers, Khamisu Mailantarki and Aliyu Usman Garry, polled 389 and 112 votes respectively. The results were announced at the PDP state secretariat in Gombe.
Pantami was initially declared the PDP candidate on 26 May through voice affirmation. He defected from the APC after losing the governorship ticket to consensus candidate Jamilu Gwamna. Two co-aspirants challenged the voice vote in court. On 24 September, Justice Amina Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Gombe nullified the process. She ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh primary within 30 days in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026 and the party’s constitution. The rerun followed.
The rerun was a direct primary. Pantami secured about 80% of the votes cast. The result affirms his position on the official PDP ballot for the 2027 election. The court declined a request seeking Pantami’s disqualification over an allegation that he remained a card-carrying APC member at the time. Legal challenges may continue. For now, Pantami has the ticket.
Winners: Pantami, who secures the ticket. The PDP, which resolves its primary dispute. Nyesom Wike, who backed Pantami. Losers: Mailantarki and Garry, who lose. The APC, which faces a Wike-backed opponent. The voice affirmation process, which the court rejected.
Bottom Line: Pantami wins the rerun. The court order is satisfied. The PDP has a candidate. The 2027 race in Gombe is set.