Pantami offers INEC 72 hours to publish his identify on governorship checklist

Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, has given the Independent National Electoral Commission a three-day ultimatum to publish his identify because the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election in Gombe State.

In a letter dated October 12, 2026, addressed to the INEC chairman, his attorneys, Ahmed Raji & Co., challenged what they described because the illegal omission of his identify from the ultimate candidate checklist printed on October 10. Lead counsel Ahmed Raji, SAN, mentioned Pantami was duly nominated after profitable a recent PDP main on September 29, 2026.

The agency mentioned Pantami, a registered PDP member in Pantami Ward, bought the celebration’s Expression of Interest and Nomination varieties, underwent screening and gained its preliminary main on May 26. According to the letter, the PDP submitted his private particulars by way of Form EC9 to INEC on August 8. The fee subsequently printed his identify on August 29 below Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2026.

The attorneys mentioned the preliminary main was challenged in two fits earlier than the Federal High Court in Gombe, with the plaintiffs questioning Pantami’s membership of the celebration. They maintained that judgments delivered on September 24 resolved the membership query in his 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,” the letter said. However, the attorneys mentioned the court docket nullified the May 26 main on grounds regarding its conduct and directed the PDP to carry a recent train inside 30 days, permitting all aspirants cleared on May 14 to take part.

The agency mentioned the celebration complied with the order, notified INEC and held one other main on September 29, monitored by fee officers. Pantami once more emerged because the winner, based on the letter. The attorneys questioned why INEC subsequently omitted his identify from the ultimate checklist with out offering a purpose.

“We have our Client’s firm and unequivocal instructions to demand that the Commission, on or before Wednesday, October 14, publish and circulate the name of Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim as the candidate of the PDP for the office of Governor of Gombe State,” the letter said. The agency urged INEC to appropriate the omission instantly and supply written affirmation of the steps taken to resolve the matter.