The Gombe State chapter of the Nyesom Wike-backed main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami winner of the fresh primary elections conducted on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, following an order by the Federal High Court.
The election was held across the 114 political wards in the 11 constitutionally recognised local government areas of the state.
Three candidates contested the fresh primary elections: Usman Aliyu Gary, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki and Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.
At the end of the collation of the election results, Prof Isa Ali Pantami polled a total of 2,054 votes, Hon Khamis Ahmed Mailantarki polled 389 votes, while Usman Aliyu Garry polled 112 votes.
The Returning Officer, Hon Shekarau, thereby declared Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami as the winner of the PDP governorship primary election in Gombe State.
Speaking shortly before the results were announced, leader of the PDP in Gombe State and Senator representing Gombe North, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, said that, ‘At the end of this exercise, all of us are winners. There should be no losers. All of us, as members of the same political family, should understand that whoever wins this primary must carry everyone along.’
According to him, ‘If whoever emerges from this primary is unable to win the general election, then all of us have lost. But if we come together, rally around all our members, and seek the support of every member of our party, we can achieve victory.
‘We must show solidarity with one another and with the party.’
Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo concluded: ‘From this point forward, we need to go back and start working – and we need to start now. We must begin the work immediately if we are to win this election, and not just this election. There are several other elections ahead for our party and our members must be ready to vote for the candidates.’