PDP Lawyers Give INEC Three Days to Publish Pantami’s Name on Gombe Candidate List

Lawyers representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Gombe State governorship candidate, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, have given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) three days to publish his name on the final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election.

The legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Ahmed Raji, made the demand in a letter dated October 12, 2026, addressed to the INEC chairman. The lawyers described the omission of Pantami’s name from the final list published on October 10 as unlawful and unexplained, urging the commission to list him alongside other candidates.

In the letter, the lawyers said Pantami was a registered PDP member in Pantami Ward, Gombe State, and had submitted the required membership details, purchased nomination forms and participated in the party’s governorship primary held on May 26, 2026. They added that the party submitted his personal particulars to INEC in August, after which his name appeared on an earlier candidate list published on August 29.

The legal team acknowledged that the Federal High Court in Gombe, in two judgments delivered on September 24, nullified the May 26 primary over issues relating to how the exercise was conducted. According to the lawyers, the court directed the PDP to conduct a fresh primary within 30 days, allowing the plaintiff and other aspirants whose screening clearance remained valid to participate.

The lawyers maintained that the court did not rule that Pantami was ineligible to belong to the PDP or emerge as its governorship candidate. They said the judgments restricted the party and INEC from recognising nominations arising from the annulled May 26 exercise, rather than barring Pantami from contesting a fresh primary.

According to the letter, the PDP notified INEC of the court-ordered exercise and conducted a fresh governorship primary on September 29. The lawyers said INEC officials attended and monitored the exercise, after which Pantami emerged as the winner and was again submitted to the commission as the party’s candidate.

The legal team argued that INEC could not independently remove a nominated candidate’s name without a court order. Citing previous court decisions, they said the commission’s role in party primaries was to observe, monitor and report on the process rather than disqualify candidates. They asked INEC to publish Pantami’s name by October 14 and confirm in writing the steps taken to address the omission.

INEC’s final list for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections excluded the PDP from the candidate lists for both Gombe and Ogun states. The lists contained 16 candidates for Gombe and 13 for Ogun, leaving out the party’s nominees, Pantami and Ladi Adebutu, respectively. PDP National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Mohammed had appealed to affected candidates, members and supporters to remain calm while discussions with the commission continued.