TDÂ The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe State has nullified the process that produced Prof. Isa Ali Pantami as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate.
The court consequently ordered the party to conduct a fresh governorship primary election.
The judgment was delivered on Thursday, September 24, 2026, by Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed in a suit instituted by Usman Aliyu Garry.
Garry challenged Pantami’s emergence as the PDP candidate for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election.
The PDP had announced the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy as its sole governorship candidate on June 26.
The plaintiff argued that the process through which Pantami emerged did not amount to a valid governorship primary and was not conducted in accordance with the applicable party guidelines and electoral requirements.
How Pantami emerged
Pantami, a former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), left the party after it settled on Jamilu Gwamna as its consensus candidate.
He subsequently joined the PDP and emerged as its governorship candidate through a voice affirmation during the party’s governorship primary held in May.
The process was later challenged in court by Garry, leading to the case before Justice Mohammed.
The legal dispute had been ongoing for several months.
In July, the Federal High Court in Gombe had reserved judgment after hearing arguments from the parties.
Counsel for the PDP and Pantami had urged the court to dismiss the suit.
Meanwhile, Garry’s counsel maintained that the case was competent and warranted judicial determination.
Court orders fresh primary
In Thursday’s judgment, the court ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary election in Gombe State in accordance with the party’s guidelines and relevant electoral laws.
The ruling effectively invalidates the process through which Pantami emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate.
This means that the party will have to conduct another primary to determine its candidate for the 2027 election.
Some reports of the judgment further state that the court directed the fresh primary to be conducted within 30 days.
It also ordered Pantami not to continue presenting himself as the PDP candidate.
However, those additional orders should be treated separately pending access to the full certified judgment.
What the ruling means for PDP and Pantami
The judgment leaves the PDP without a settled governorship candidate from the earlier primary process.
It also opens the way for a fresh contest among eligible aspirants.
Pantami’s emergence had already generated controversy.
This is evidently because of his defection from APC to PDP and the manner in which he secured the party’s ticket.
The court’s decision now places the focus on the PDP’s next steps.
This includes the timing and conduct of the fresh primary and the aspirants who will participate.
The case also highlights the continuing legal scrutiny surrounding the nomination of candidates for the 2027 governorship elections.
This Dawn News will continue to follow developments concerning the fresh PDP primary and any appeal or further legal action arising from the judgment.
