Pantami breaks silence over INEC’s omission of his name from Gombe governorship list

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has urged his supporters to remain calm following the omission of his name from the list of candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Pantami, a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, said his legal and liaison teams were engaging relevant party officials and INEC to resolve the matter within the period permitted by law.

The assurance was contained in a statement issued on his behalf by Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe and shared on his verified Facebook page on Saturday.

The development followed INEC’s publication of the list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election, which did not include Pantami’s name despite his emergence from a fresh PDP primary election held on September 29, 2026.

According to the statement, the fresh primary was conducted pursuant to an order of the Federal High Court.

“Our attention has been drawn to the non-publication of the name of our candidate from the fresh primary election of 29th September, 2026, as ordered by the Federal High Court, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), CON, PhD, FCIIS, FBCS, FNCS, in the list released by INEC,” the statement said.

The statement acknowledged concerns among PDP members and supporters of the Pantamiyya Movement over the development but appealed to them not to lose hope.

“We wish to assure all our supporters to remain calm, steadfast, and hopeful. This is a temporary challenge and a normal part of the electoral process, not a final determination, in sha Allah,” it added.

The former minister expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved through the appropriate legal and administrative channels, saying his team was working to ensure compliance with the court order.

The statement also alleged that some individuals were working behind the scenes to frustrate the emergence of what it described as responsible leadership in the state. However, it did not identify those allegedly involved.

Pantami’s camp urged supporters to sustain their mobilisation efforts and remain committed to the party’s political activities despite the development.

“We urge our supporters to continue their mobilisation and to remain focused on our collective ideology of service to humanity. The PDP and Pantamiyya Movement remain strong, united, and committed to the rescue and emancipation of our people,” the statement said.

It added that the omission would not distract the movement from its objectives, expressing hope that the matter would be resolved.