Pantami’s Reinstatement on INEC List Sparks Jubilation Among Supporters Ahead of 2027 Gombe Governorship Election.
Supporters of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, have expressed excitement following the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore his name to the list of candidates for the February 2027 Gombe State governorship election.
The development, which emerged on Thursday night, October 29, 2026, represents a significant boost to Pantami’s governorship ambition under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after weeks of uncertainty surrounding his eligibility and omission from the electoral commission’s initial list.
Speaking in interviews with The News , supporters, including Amina Mohammed, Sati Yuhana and Salome Musa, welcomed the decision, describing it as an encouraging development for the former minister and his political movement.
They expressed confidence in Pantami’s leadership credentials and electoral prospects, arguing that his reinstatement had renewed enthusiasm among supporters ahead of the 2027 governorship contest.
Mohammed described the decision as a positive development, saying it had strengthened supporters’ confidence in Pantami’s ambition to lead Gombe State.
Similarly, Yuhana described the restoration as a welcome relief, expressing optimism that Pantami would have the opportunity to pursue his political ambition.
Musa also welcomed the development, while expressing hope that outstanding legal challenges surrounding the former minister’s candidacy would be resolved.
Background to Pantami’s INEC Exclusion
Pantami’s name was initially missing from INEC’s final list of governorship candidates published on October 10, 2026, despite his emergence as the PDP flag bearer following a court ordered rerun of the party’s governorship primary.
The rerun, conducted on September 29, followed a September 24 Federal High Court judgment in Gombe State that nullified the earlier primary and directed the PDP to conduct a fresh exercise.
Pantami subsequently won the rerun, polling 2,054 votes against Khamisu Mailantarki, who secured 389 votes, while Aliyu Garry received 112 votes.
However, questions surrounding the PDP membership register and compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 complicated his candidacy.
INEC had earlier explained that the exclusion of some candidates followed concerns over political parties’ compliance with statutory requirements governing the submission of membership registers.
The commission’s position was linked to the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment affirming the constitutionality of relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
Legal Uncertainty Remains
Although Pantami’s reinstatement represents an important development for his political ambition, questions surrounding pending legal disputes remain relevant to the final determination of his candidacy.
The earlier controversy involved disagreements among PDP aspirants over the party’s primary election and the eligibility requirements governing participation in party activities.
Consequently, the restoration of his name should not automatically be interpreted as the conclusion of all legal challenges surrounding the Gombe governorship ticket.
The February 6, 2027 governorship election is expected to attract significant political competition as parties position themselves for control of the state.
Pantami’s return to the INEC list is likely to strengthen his campaign’s visibility and energize his supporters, although the eventual outcome of the election will depend on broader political developments, party organisation, legal determinations and voters’ decisions.
For now, the development offers renewed optimism to Pantami’s supporters as the former minister continues his pursuit of the Gombe State Government House.