The name of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, is conspicuously missing from the final list of governorship candidates in Gombe State released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC has published the final list of 16 cleared candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship election in the state.
The list shows Bala Bello Tinka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Babayo Ardo Kumo of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).
Other candidates on the final list include Zubairu Mu’azu Halilu of the Labour Party, Lamela L. Silas of the APM, Ibrahim Jalo Abubakar of the PRP and Adamu Mohammed Ma’aji of the SDP among others.
However, Pantami, who was on the provisional list published on August 29, was missing in the new list.
He had earlier emerged as PDP candidate after dumping APC on May 19.
A Federal High Court nullified the election and ordered a fresh primary election, which he won again after he scored 2,054 votes in the court ordered fresh primary conducted on September 29, defeating Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki Mailantarki, and Usman Aliyu Garry.
A Federal High Court sitting in Gombe had on September 24 nullified his initial May 26 emergence, while the September 24 Supreme Court judgement restoring Sections 77(5), (6), (7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 put his eligibility further in doubt.
When he featured on Trust TV’s Daily Politics, Mohammed Haruna, an INEC National Commissioner, had said in line with the Supreme Court ruling, some parties would not field candidates in the election.
The Supreme Court had barred parties from fielding candidates whose names were not in the membership register submitted to INEC within the stipulated time.
