Isa Ali Pantami wins Gombe PDP governorship primary

Professor Isa Ali Pantami has been re-selected as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Gombe State for the 2027 general election. The result follows a court-ordered fresh primary conducted across 114 wards in the state’s 11 local government areas.

In the direct primary, Pantami secured 2,054 votes. He defeated former House of Representatives member Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, who received 389 votes, and Usman Aliyu Garry, who received 112 votes. The election committee chairman, Johnbull Tiemlong Shekarau, reported that 2,555 accredited party members participated in the exercise.

The fresh primary was mandated by a Federal High Court in Gombe, which nullified the party’s initial May 26 affirmation process due to non-compliance with internal procedures and electoral provisions. While the court ordered a new election, it did not disqualify Pantami from seeking the ticket. Following the announcement, Pantami called for party unity, though Mailantarki has rejected the results.