Gombe: After quitting APC, Former minister, Isa Pantami, clinches PDP guber ticket

Recall that Pantami joined the PDP after his exit from the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his inability to clinch the gubernatorial ticket of the party

Former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State.

He was announced as the candidate of the party for the 2027 gubernatorial election in the North-East State at an event on Tuesday.

Recall that Pantami joined the PDP after his exit from the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his inability to clinch the gubernatorial ticket of the ruling party.

He was said to have reached out to key figures in Gombe PDP on the possibility of being the party’s flagbearer.

Speaking at Pantami’s candidature declaration, the Chairman of the PDP Gombe Electoral Panel, Gregory Yenlong, declared Pantami the sole candidate and affirmed him in line with the party’s guidelines.

“Our candidate is Professor Isa Ali Pantami. He is the sole candidate. Therefore, based on the guidelines of the election, he obtained the following votes: Gombe North, 16,781; Gombe Central, 12,752; and Gombe South, 23,422.

“The total number of votes is 52,955. By the guidelines, it is my singular privilege to present Isa Pantami for affirmation,” Yenlong said.

Speaking at the gathering attended by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, who is also a former governor of Gombe State, Pantami said his decision to contest for the gubernatorial election under the PDP was driven by personal interest.

He disclosed that his decision to seek the PDP ticket was informed by the need to address the widespread poverty and hardship that residents of the state are grappling with.

Pantami, who also attributed his ambition to the need for inclusive governance in the state, expressed concern over the poverty situation in the state, citing figures from the National Multidimensional Poverty Index.

“The acceptance is not about ambition, but rather about serving humanity. The acceptance is not about Isa, but about Gombe State,” he said.