Pantami's Guber Bid Crushed: Name Missing from Final Gombe List

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of governorship candidates for the Gombe State election scheduled for February 6, 2027. Conspicuously missing from this list is the name of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami. The release of the list by INEC, as promised by its Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, confirmed that a total of 16 candidates have been cleared to contest for the state's top political office.

Professor Pantami, who had previously appeared on the provisional list published on August 29, found himself omitted from the definitive roster. His political journey leading up to this point included resigning from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on May 19 and subsequently defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under whose banner he initially emerged as a governorship candidate.

However, Pantami's path was fraught with legal obstacles. Ahmed Mailantarki, one of the aspirants who sought the PDP ticket, challenged Pantami's victory in court. This led to a Federal High Court sitting in Gombe nullifying the initial election and mandating a fresh primary election, which Professor Pantami won once more.

The most significant hurdle, described as his "biggest obstacle," was the Supreme Court judgment of September 24. This ruling restored Sections 77(5), (6), (7), and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026. These sections explicitly bar political parties from fielding candidates whose names were not included in the membership register submitted to INEC within the stipulated time frame. Mohammed Haruna, an INEC National Commissioner, had previously hinted at the implications of this Supreme Court ruling, suggesting that some parties would be unable to field candidates in the 2027 elections during an appearance on Trust TV’s Daily Politics.

In response to the omission, Professor Pantami released a statement on his personal social media handles, assuring his supporters that active efforts were underway to resolve what he termed a "temporary challenge in the electoral process." The statement, signed by Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe, acknowledged that the development had raised concerns among PDP supporters and the "Pantamiyya Movement" across Gombe and beyond.

Pantami's camp urged supporters to remain calm and hopeful, stressing that the omission was not a final determination of the matter. Their legal and liaison teams are reportedly engaging with relevant organs of the PDP and INEC to secure compliance with court orders and ensure the correction of the omission within the period allowed by law. The statement expressed strong confidence that the issue would be resolved, while simultaneously calling for continuous mobilization and commitment to the movement's ideology of service to humanity, affirming that "No distraction will derail our course, in sha Allah."

Among the 16 candidates successfully cleared by INEC for the Gombe governorship election are Bala Bello Tinka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Babayo Ardo Kumo of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Zubairu Mu’azu Halilu of the Labour Party, Lamela L. Silas of the APM, Ibrahim Jalo Abubakar of the PRP, and Adamu Mohammed Ma’aji of the SDP, among others.