Pantami defects to PDP, emerges Gombe governorship candidate for 2027

Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2027 election in Gombe State after officially joining the opposition party.

Pantami secured the PDP ticket through a voice affirmation process conducted during the party’s governorship primary held on Tuesday in Gombe.

Announcing the outcome of the exercise, Gregory Yenlong, chairman of the PDP electoral panel, said Pantami recorded 16,781 votes in Gombe North, 12,752 votes in Gombe Central, and 23,422 votes in Gombe South, bringing his total to 52,955 votes.

“By the guidelines of this election, it is my singular honour and privilege to present Prof. Isa Aliyu Ibrahim Pantami to members of the PDP for affirmation,” Yenlong declared at the event.

Following the announcement, a motion for Pantami’s adoption as the party’s governorship candidate was moved by Sambo Sa’adu and seconded by Bulus Maikori before delegates affirmed the decision.

Speaking after his emergence, Pantami said his decision to contest was driven by a desire to serve the people of Gombe State. He pledged to provide leadership based on fairness and justice if elected governor in 2027.

Pantami is expected to face Jamilu Gwamna, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the upcoming governorship election.

Before defecting to the PDP, Pantami had criticised the process that produced Gwamna as the APC consensus candidate. The former minister had earlier demanded direct primaries within the APC but later withdrew from the governorship race on the eve of the party’s primary, citing alleged lack of transparency in the process.