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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has omitted former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, from its final list of governorship candidates in Gombe State.
INEC released the list on Saturday after its chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, promised it at a press conference in Abuja earlier in the week. According to the list, 16 candidates have been cleared to contest the Gombe governorship election scheduled for February 6, 2027.
The candidates include 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).
Others are 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).
Pantami’s name, however, is missing from the final list. He had appeared on the provisional list published on August 29. He emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate after leaving the APC on May 19. However, Ahmed Mailantarki, another aspirant who contested the PDP ticket, challenged his victory in court.
A national High Court sitting in Gombe later nullified the primary election and ordered the party to conduct a new one. Pantami won the rerun primary. However, a September 24 Supreme Court judgment introduced another challenge to his candidacy. The ruling restored Sections 77(5), (6), (7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.
The provisions bar political parties from fielding candidates whose names were not included in the membership register submitted to INEC within the stipulated period. The ruling had raised questions about Pantami’s eligibility to contest the election.
Meanwhile, INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna said some political parties might not field candidates in the 2027 elections in line with the Supreme Court ruling.
