A governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Hamma Saleh, has rejected the emergence of Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami as the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
Pantami was declared the PDP flagbearer through a voice affirmation during the party’s primary election held on Tuesday. However, Saleh, speaking with journalists at his residence in Gombe, described the process as unfair to aspirants who had purchased nomination forms and followed the party’s outlined procedures.
According to Saleh, the primary election initially scheduled for Sunday was unexpectedly postponed to Tuesday without any explanation from the party leadership.
“While we were waiting for the primary election to be conducted last Sunday, it was suddenly announced that it had been moved to Tuesday,” Saleh said. “Without any explanation from the party leadership, we woke up this morning to the news that Isa Pantami had emerged as the PDP governorship candidate.”
Saleh also raised questions about Pantami’s eligibility, alleging that the former minister had earlier contested the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary held on May 21, 2026.
“I condemn in the strongest terms what I consider an injustice against me and other aspirants,” Saleh stated. “My legal team is already working on the matter, and we will seek redress through the appropriate legal channels.”
He urged his supporters to remain calm and law-abiding while his legal team pursues the case.
Pantami, a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, recently defected from the APC following the emergence of Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna as the party’s consensus governorship candidate in Gombe State. He cited concerns over the process that produced Gwamna as part of his reason for leaving the APC.