The gubernatorial ambition of Prof. Isa Ali Pantami has suffered a temporary setback as a Federal High Court No. 1 sitting in Gombe has nullified his emergence as the governorship candidate of the Wike-backed main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State and ordered the party to conduct a fresh primary election.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed on Thursday in a suit filed by Usman Aliyu Garry, who challenged the process through which Isa Ali Pantami emerged as the party’s candidate.
Usman Aliyu Garry had argued that the PDP failed to conduct a valid governorship primary before announcing Pantami as its candidate on June 26, 2026.
Isa Ali Pantami had emerged as the party’s candidate in a contest involving other aspirants, including Abdulladir Hamma Sale, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki and Monica Kaltho.
The plaintiff challenged the process, contending that the party’s decision to adopt Pantami without conducting the required primary election was contrary to its guidelines and relevant electoral laws.
In her judgment, Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary in accordance with the party’s guidelines and applicable electoral laws.
The ruling effectively nullified Isa Ali Pantami’s emergence through the earlier process and requires the PDP to commence a fresh process for selecting its governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
The judgment is the latest development in the legal battle over the PDP governorship ticket in Gombe State.