Gombe court voids Pantami’s PDP nomination, orders new primary

The Federal High Court in Gombe has set aside Isa Ali Pantami’s nomination as the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election and ordered the party to hold a fresh primary. The ruling leaves the PDP’s Gombe ticket unresolved, with the party saying it will comply but has not yet announced a date for the new contest. Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed delivered the judgment on Thursday, September 24, following a pre-election challenge by PDP aspirant Usman Aliyu Garry. The evidence brief reports that Khamisu Mailantarki was also identified as a plaintiff in related proceedings. The challengers disputed the process that produced Pantami as the party’s nominee, arguing it did not comply with party guidelines and applicable electoral requirements. The court’s order requires the PDP to conduct another governorship primary in accordance with its guidelines and relevant laws. The accounts reviewed agree on the outcome, but the supplied material does not include the judgment itself, so its detailed reasoning and the full scope of its orders cannot be independently established here.