The Peoples Democratic Party is holding a fresh governorship primary in Gombe State today, September 29, following a Federal High Court judgment that nullified the earlier process which produced former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, as the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
The fresh exercise has Pantami, Khamisu Mailantarki and Usman Garry as the principal aspirants cleared for the contest.
The repeat primary follows the September 24 judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe.
Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed nullified the May 26 process which had produced Pantami and directed the PDP to conduct a fresh primary within 30 days in accordance with its constitution, guidelines and applicable electoral laws.
The litigation followed challenges by PDP aspirants to the process used in producing Pantami.
The initial May primary had produced the former minister through voice affirmation.
The court found that the process did not comply with the party’s prescribed procedures and applicable electoral requirements and consequently ordered a new exercise.
Importantly, the court did not grant the plaintiffs’ request to remove Pantami from the PDP itself.
It instead nullified the nomination process and directed the party to conduct another primary.
That distinction is legally important: the judgment set aside the process that produced the earlier ticket; it did not itself impose a permanent prohibition preventing Pantami from participating in a properly conducted fresh exercise.
PDP fixed September 29
Following the judgment, the PDP announced September 29 for the repeat primary and asked eligible participants to take part in the process.
The party said the exercise would be conducted in compliance with the court order.
The fresh contest has consequently shifted attention from the earlier nomination result to whether the repeat process satisfies all relevant procedural and statutory requirements.
Membership register becomes important
Another layer has been added by legal developments surrounding provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing party membership registers and nomination processes.
A Supreme Court decision on September 24 restored provisions including Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2), according to reports reviewed by LegalLinkz.
Section 77(5), as reported, deals with the requirement that persons participating in party primaries must appear in the relevant party membership register submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission within the statutory framework.
Questions have consequently been raised publicly about the timing of Pantami’s movement from the APC to the PDP and whether applicable membership requirements were met.
Those questions should, however, be distinguished from an actual judicial determination against him.
The Supreme Court judgment restoring the provisions did not, by itself, decide Pantami’s personal eligibility for the September 29 primary.
Any challenge to his qualification would therefore require the relevant facts and documentary records to be placed before the appropriate adjudicatory body.
Similarly, the fresh nomination of any other aspirant would remain subject to compliance with the same statutory and party rules.
For the PDP, the immediate legal task is therefore broader than simply selecting a candidate: the repeat process must comply with the Federal High Court order, the party’s own constitution and guidelines and the applicable provisions of electoral law.
The result of today’s exercise will determine the party’s fresh candidate, subject to any subsequent legal processes permitted by law.
Related Stories
READ MORE: One Year in Custody: Gombe Detention Over Business Debt Raises Fresh Rights Questions
READ MORE: Peter Obi Blocked in Benue: Where Does the Law Begin and Politics End?
Source: Channels Television; Punch; Premium Times.
