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

Former Communications and Digital Economy Minister, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, has threatened the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with a three-day ultimatum to rectify the omission of his name from the final list of candidates for the Gombe state governorship election. Pantami's solicitors, Ahmed Raji & Co., have accused INEC of unlawfully excluding his name from the list unveiled on October 10, 2026, despite his victory in a fresh People Democratic Party (PDP) primary election on September 29, 2026.

Pantami, a registered PDP member, had successfully contested the party's previous governorship primary on May 26, 2026, and this victory was upheld by the Federal High Court in Gombe. The court even dismissed challenges to his party membership, stating that such matters are internal to the party and cannot be overturned by external evidence.

Pantami's legal team argues that the PDP complied with a court order to hold a new primary within 30 days of the initial primary's cancellation, and Pantami was declared the winner of this fresh primary on September 29, 2026. The law firm maintains that INEC's omission of Pantami's name from the final list is unjustified and demands immediate action to rectify the situation.