Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, has won the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship primary rerun in Gombe State, reclaiming the party’s ticket for the 2027 election after a court nullified his earlier emergence.
Pantami secured 2,054 votes in the direct primary conducted across the state’s 11 local government areas. Khamisu Mailantarki polled 389 votes, while Aliyu Usman Garry recorded 112 votes. The results were subsequently collated and formally declared at the PDP state secretariat in Gombe.
The rerun became necessary after the Federal High Court in Gombe, on September 24, voided the party’s earlier primary that had produced Pantami as its candidate.
The court directed the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary within 30 days, citing non-compliance with the party’s procedures and applicable electoral provisions.
The legal challenge was brought by Mailantarki and Garry, who contested the validity of the May 26 exercise in which Pantami had emerged through voice affirmation.
Following the judgment, the PDP fixed September 29 for the fresh contest and cleared Pantami, Mailantarki and Garry to participate.
With the rerun concluded, Pantami has again emerged as the PDP’s candidate for the Gombe governorship election, subject to any further legal or electoral developments.
