Court Nullifies Pantami’s Gombe PDP Gov Ticket, Orders Fresh Primary

The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe, Gombe State, has voided the election of the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, as the 2027 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Presiding judge Justice Amina Aliyu delivered the judgment on Thursday, September 24, 2026, ordering the party to conduct a fresh gubernatorial primary election within thirty days.

The judgment follows two separate suits—including Suit No: FHC/GM/CS/09/2026—filed by PDP aspirants Khamisu Mailantarki and Hon. Aliyu Usman (Garry), challenging the process that led to Pantami’s emergence during the party’s initial primary on May 26, 2026.

Justice Aliyu held that the primary failed to comply with the party’s internal regulations and extant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The court noted that the flawed process led to the improper exclusion of duly screened and cleared aspirants from participating in the contest.

However, the court declined the plaintiffs’ prayer seeking an order to outrightly disqualify Pantami or remove him as a PDP member over allegations that he remained a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the material time.

Legal Reactions & Pending Appeals

Following the verdict, legal counsel to the respective parties expressed their positions on the court’s outcome.

Mohammed Attahir, counsel to Isa Pantami, and Adrian Amadi, counsel to plaintiff Aliyu Usman Garry, acknowledged the judgment.

However, the legal team representing the plaintiffs, led by Eko Ejembi Eko (SAN), has since notified the PDP National Working Committee of an appeal and motion for stay of execution.

In a formal letter addressed to the PDP National Chairman at the Wadata Plaza Secretariat in Abuja, dated September 26, 2026, the plaintiffs’ solicitors revealed that a Notice of Appeal (Exhibit A) was filed at the Court of Appeal on September 25, 2026, challenging the portion of the High Court’s decision that allowed Pantami to participate in any rerun.

The legal team pointed out that while the Gombe State Chapter of the PDP has purportedly scheduled the fresh primary for Tuesday, September 29, 2026, a Motion for Stay of Execution (Exhibit B) has been filed at the Federal High Court.

The motion seeks to restrain the PDP from proceeding with the rescheduled primary with Pantami on the ballot, and to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring or supervising any primary involving him.

Referring to recent precedent set by the Supreme Court in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party (Suit No. SC/CV/495/2026), the legal team argued that political parties are required to strictly adhere to Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates submitting a comprehensive register of members to INEC at least 21 days before any primary.

They contend that Pantami was not on the PDP membership register submitted to the electoral umpire within the statutory timeframe and should therefore be excluded from the rescheduled primary.

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