Pantami Out Of Governorship Race As INEC Removes Name From Final List

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed the name of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, from the final list of governorship candidates for the February 6, 2027, election in Gombe State.

Naija News reports that INEC published the final list of 16 cleared candidates for the election, with Pantami, whose name appeared on the provisional list released on August 29, absent from the updated list.

The final list for Gombe State features Bala Bello Tinka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Babayo Ardo Kumo of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

Other candidates INEC cleared include Zubairu Mu’azu Halilu of the Labour Party, Lamela L. Silas of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Ibrahim Jalo Abubakar of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and Adamu Mohammed Ma’aji of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), among others.

Recall that a governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, rejected the outcome of the party’s rerun primary, insisting that Pantami was not eligible to participate in the exercise.

Pantami was declared winner of the rerun governorship primary conducted on Tuesday by the Johnbull Shekarau-led electoral committee.

The former Minister polled 2,054 votes, while Mailantarki secured 389 voted and Usman Aliyu Garry received 112 votes.

Speaking with journalists after the declaration of the results, Mailantarki argued that a recent Supreme Court judgement on provisions of the Electoral Act affected Pantami’s eligibility to participate in the primary.

Mailantarki claimed that, having finished second, he should be recognised as the party’s gubernatorial candidate.