Prof. Isa Ali Pantami has again emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Pantami’s emergence followed a fresh governorship primary conducted by the party across the 114 wards in the state’s 11 Local Government Areas on Tuesday.
The fresh exercise was conducted after a Federal High Court in Gombe nullified the earlier primary that produced Pantami as the PDP candidate and ordered the party to conduct a new exercise.
Declaring the results, Chairman of the PDP Governorship Primary Election Committee, Hon. Johnbull Tiemlong Shekarau, said 2,555 accredited delegates participated in the election.
According to him, Pantami secured 2,054 votes to defeat former House of Representatives member Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki and Hon. Usman Aliyu Garry.
Mailantarki polled 389 votes to emerge as the first runner-up, while Garry scored 112 votes and finished as the second runner-up.
“I, Hon. Johnbull Tiemlong Shekarau, hereby declare Isa Ali Pantami as the winner of this primary election and return him as the duly elected governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2027 general elections,” Shekarau declared.
He commended the national and state leadership of the PDP for their support towards the conduct of the exercise.
Shekarau also praised members of the election committee and security agencies for their roles in ensuring what he described as a peaceful and orderly primary.
He further acknowledged the contribution of former Gombe State Governor, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, whom he said provided leadership and support during the exercise.
The committee chairman also commended party members and residents of the state for maintaining peace throughout the process.
In his acceptance speech, Pantami thanked PDP members for participating peacefully in the primary and called on his two opponents to join him in working towards the success of the party’s candidates in the 2027 elections.
Pantami said that, if elected governor, he would provide what he described as purposeful leadership and “rescue the state from years of mis-governance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.”
The latest development means Pantami has secured the PDP ticket again after the court-ordered fresh primary, setting the stage for further political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Gombe State.
