Ex-minister, Pantami talks tough, gives INEC three days to include his name in guber list

Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, has taken a tough stance against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for excluding his name in the final list of candidates for the governorship election in Gombe state.

He has therefore given the commission a three-day ultimatum to reverse the decision.

Pantami, through his solicitors, Ahmed Raji & Co., accused the commission of unlawfully omitting his name from the list published on October 10, 2026, despite his emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in a fresh primary election.

In a letter dated October 12, 2026, and addressed to the INEC Chairman, the law firm demanded that the commission publish Pantami’s name as the PDP governorship candidate within three days.

The lead counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN, said Pantami emerged victorious in the fresh primary conducted by the party on September 29, 2026, following a court order directing the PDP to conduct another exercise.

According to the letter, Pantami, a registered member of the PDP at Pantami Ward in Gombe State, purchased the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, underwent screening and was cleared to contest.

The lawyers stated that he initially won the party’s governorship primary held on May 26, 2026, after which the PDP submitted his personal particulars, including Form EC9, to INEC on August 8, 2026.

The commission subsequently published his name on August 29, 2026, in accordance with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2026, the letter added.

However, the initial primary was challenged in two suits instituted at the Federal High Court in Gombe, with the plaintiffs questioning Pantami’s membership of the party.

Raji said the court, in judgments delivered on September 24, 2026, resolved the membership issue in Pantami’s favour.

“In the second suit, the court also held that the non-appearance of Pantami’s name in an exhibit tendered was not conclusive proof of non-membership.

Membership of a political party is ordinarily a matter within the domestic affairs of the party,” part of the letter stated.

The lawyers explained that although the court nullified the May 26 primary over issues relating to its conduct, it directed the PDP to organise a fresh exercise within 30 days.

The order, according to the letter, required the party to give all aspirants cleared on May 14, 2026, the opportunity to participate in the fresh primary.

The law firm maintained that the PDP complied with the directive, notified INEC and conducted the new primary on September 29, 2026, under the commission’s monitoring. Pantami was again declared the winner of the exercise, it said.

The lawyers consequently faulted INEC for excluding his name from the final list of governorship candidates published on October 10, 2026, without providing any explanation for the decision.

Demanding immediate action, the firm said its client had instructed it to formally request the commission to correct the omission before the deadline.

The lawyers urged INEC to take immediate steps to address the matter and provide written confirmation of the actions taken to resolve the complaint.