NEWS
Court Orders PDP to Conduct Fresh Governorship Primary in Gombe, Throws Pantami’s Ticket Into Fresh Legal Battle
Court Orders PDP to Conduct Fresh Governorship Primary in Gombe, Throws Pantami’s Ticket Into Fresh Legal Battle
The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to conduct a fresh governorship primary election in Gombe State, raising fresh uncertainty over the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 election.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, September 24, 2026, by Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed, followed a suit instituted by Usman Aliyu Garry challenging the emergence of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, as the PDP’s governorship candidate in the state.
Garry had approached the court after the PDP announced Pantami as its candidate on June 26, 2026, contending that the party failed to conduct the required governorship primary election in line with its internal guidelines and applicable electoral requirements.
Pantami’s emergence had followed his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP after the APC settled on Jamilu Gwamna as its consensus governorship candidate.
Following his movement to the PDP, Pantami participated in the party’s governorship selection process and emerged through a voice-affirmation exercise during the primary held in May.
The development, however, became the subject of litigation after Garry challenged the process, arguing that the procedure adopted by the party did not satisfy the requirements for a valid governorship primary.
In its judgment, the Federal High Court directed the PDP to return to the field and conduct a fresh governorship primary in accordance with the party’s guidelines and relevant electoral laws.
The ruling places the PDP’s Gombe governorship ticket under a fresh legal and political spotlight, with the party now required to undertake another primary process as ordered by the court.
The decision also introduces a new phase in the contest surrounding the party’s choice of candidate, particularly following Pantami’s high-profile movement from the APC to the PDP and his subsequent emergence as the party’s standard-bearer.
The PDP is therefore expected to take steps towards complying with the court’s directive, while the implications of the judgment could reshape the party’s governorship nomination process in Gombe State.