The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe has nullified the emergence of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Gombe State.
Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed, in a judgment delivered on Thursday, ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary within 30 days.
The judgment followed a pre-election suit filed by PDP governorship aspirant Usman Aliyu Garry, who challenged the process that produced Pantami as the party’s candidate.
Garry argued that the PDP failed to conduct a valid governorship primary in line with its guidelines and applicable electoral requirements.
Pantami emerged as the PDP candidate through voice affirmation at a governorship primary held on May 26, 2026, after leaving the All Progressives Congress and joining the PDP.
The party subsequently presented him as its candidate in June.
However, the process was challenged by some PDP governorship aspirants, who questioned the procedure through which Pantami emerged.
In its judgment, the Federal High Court ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh primary in compliance with its guidelines and relevant electoral laws.
The court also ordered Pantami to stop parading himself as the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State.
Pantami had initially sought the APC governorship ticket but withdrew from the party’s primary, citing alleged irregularities in the process. He subsequently joined the PDP and secured its governorship ticket.
The court proceedings also involved separate legal challenges to Pantami’s emergence, including one filed by another PDP governorship aspirant, Khamisu Mailantarki.
Pantami served as Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy from 2019 to 2023 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.