Posted by Chinenye on Tue 13th Oct, 2026 - tori.ng
Former minister Isa Pantami has given INEC a deadline to resolve a dispute over his name being missing from the list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe governorship election.
(Prof Isa Pantami. Photo by Arise News)
Former Communications Minister Prof Isa Pantami wants INEC to put his name back on the final list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe governorship election.
His lawyers say he will take legal action if the name is not added.
Their letter gives INEC until Wednesday, October 14, to act.
The letter was written by his legal team led by Ahmed Raji SAN.
It is dated Monday and is addressed to INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan. A.T. Kehinde, Abdul Mohammed, Wale Balogun and Chief Tunde Falola also signed it.
INEC published its list on October 10 and left Pantami out.
His lawyers say this was unlawful and that no reason was given.
They say he is a registered PDP member in Pantami Ward, Gombe State.
He took part in the party's governorship primary on May 26, 2026, and won.
The PDP sent his details to INEC on August 8, and INEC published his name on August 29 without raising any issue.
The May 26 primary was challenged in two suits at the Federal High Court in Gombe, Suit Nos FHC/GM/CS/9/2026 and FHC/GM/CS/10/2026.
The court cancelled the primary because of how it was conducted.
However, it ruled in Pantami's favour on party membership and eligibility.
It said the party has the power to decide who its members are, and that the PDP had shown a membership card and register with his name on them.
On September 24, the court ordered the PDP to hold a fresh governorship primary within 30 days, in line with the Electoral Act 2026, the party's constitution and its guidelines.
The court limited this order to candidates who came from the May 26 primary.
The lawyers say the PDP told INEC about the court-ordered primary and held it on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
Pantami, they say, is the party's candidate after that vote, which is why his name should be on the list.