Court nullifies Pantami’s ticket, orders fresh PDP primary

By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe

GOMBE — The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to conduct a fresh governorship primary in Gombe State, effectively nullifying the process that produced former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, as the party’s candidate for the 2027 election.

Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed gave the order on Thursday while delivering judgment in a suit filed by PDP governorship aspirant, Usman Aliyu Garry, challenging Pantami’s emergence.

Garry had argued that the process through which Pantami emerged did not constitute a valid governorship primary in accordance with the party’s guidelines and applicable electoral provisions.

Pantami joined the PDP after his bid for the APC governorship ticket failed to produce him as the party’s consensus candidate. The APC subsequently settled on Jamilu Gwamna.

After joining the PDP, Pantami emerged from the party’s governorship process in May through voice affirmation and was subsequently announced by the party as its sole governorship candidate on June 26, 2026.

The court, however, directed the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary in accordance with its guidelines and applicable electoral provisions.

The ruling followed earlier proceedings in which the PDP and Pantami defended the validity of the process that produced the former minister, while Garry maintained that the procedure was defective.

The court had earlier reserved judgment after hearing arguments from the parties.

The judgment has consequently reopened the PDP governorship ticket contest in Gombe State, with the party now required to conduct another primary to determine its candidate for the 2027 election.

Pantami meets retired civil servants

Meanwhile, Pantami has met with former Heads of Service and retired Permanent Secretaries from Gombe State to discuss challenges confronting the state civil service and proposed reforms.

The delegation included former Heads of Service, among them Alhaji Usman Ahmed Maburuk and Alhaji Adamu Hussaini Abubakar, as well as other retired senior public servants.

The meeting was also attended by PDP leaders, including the state chairman, Major-General Amnon Kalaye Kwaskebe (retd.), and other senior party officials.

During the engagement, the retired public servants raised concerns over what they described as challenges affecting the state civil service.

Among the issues they highlighted were alleged departures from established procedures in appointments and promotions, the use of the designation “Overseeing Permanent Secretary,” delays in promotion exercises, remuneration and staff welfare.

They called for measures to strengthen the service and improve the conditions under which civil servants operate.

Responding, Pantami said he had developed a reform blueprint in consultation with serving and retired public servants aimed at addressing some of the challenges raised.

He said the proposed policy would undergo further consultations with relevant stakeholders to ensure that it addressed workers’ concerns and strengthened the state civil service.

Pantami cited his experience in reforming federal agencies, including the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), saying revised conditions of service had been developed under his leadership at the agencies.

He said lessons from those experiences could be adapted to the Gombe State civil service, particularly in remuneration, allowances, career progression and institutional development.

The retired public servants and Pantami, according to the account of the meeting, agreed to work together towards addressing the challenges confronting the service, with the proposed reform agenda expected to form part of political discussions ahead of the May 29, 2027 governorship election.

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