Isa Pantami Excluded from Gombe Governorship Candidates List Ahead of 2027 Election

Isa Pantami, a former minister in Nigeria, has been excluded from the list of candidates for the Gombe State governorship election in 2027. This decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) comes after a series of legal disputes and internal conflicts within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Pantami had recently won a rerun primary election for the PDP, securing over 2,000 votes. However, his victory was challenged by fellow party members who claimed he joined the PDP after the deadline for candidate registration.

On September 24, 2026, a Federal High Court ordered the rerun of the primary election, which Pantami won on September 29, 2026. Despite this win, some party members, including Khamisu Mailantarki, who came in second, have disputed Pantami’s eligibility.

After INEC released its official candidates list, Pantami’s name was notably absent. In response, his campaign team described this as a “temporary challenge” and urged supporters to stay calm. They are currently working with legal teams to address the situation.

The exclusion raises questions about the PDP’s representation in the upcoming election, as Pantami had pledged to unify the party and lead it back to power in Gombe State.