Pantami Defects to PDP, Clinches Gombe Governorship Ticket

Former Communications Minister Isa Pantami has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Gombe State after defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Pantami was declared winner through a voice affirmation during the PDP primary election held on Tuesday in Gombe. Hon. Gregory Yenlong, Chairman of the PDP Electoral Panel, announced him as the sole aspirant after other contenders stepped aside.

Speaking after his emergence, Pantami said he was contesting to serve the people of Gombe State. He pledged to govern with fairness and justice if elected in the 2027 general elections.

“I am offering myself to serve the good people of Gombe State. If elected, I will ensure fairness and justice in governance,” he said.

His emergence sets up a contest against Jamilu Gwamna, the APC governorship candidate in Gombe. Pantami had earlier contested the APC primary but pulled out on the eve of the election, alleging lack of transparency in the process that produced Gwamna as the party’s consensus candidate.

Days before Tuesday’s PDP primary, four PDP governorship aspirants had raised objections to Pantami being brought into the race. In a communique issued after an emergency meeting in Gombe, the aspirants argued that the law did not permit a candidate to defect from one party to another and contest the same election after votes had already been cast in another party’s primary.

Despite the objections, PDP stakeholders chose Pantami as the party’s standard bearer for the 2027 governorship election in Gombe State.

Party sources said Pantami’s request to fly the PDP flag was favourably considered by influential leaders of the party, including those aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Pantami was announced at a gathering attended by former Gombe State governor, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, and other PDP stakeholders.

Sources: Daily Trust, PM News