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From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
Supporters of Professor Isa Ali Pantami have taken to celebrations following reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has accepted his candidacy for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election.
The reported decision marks a development in the political dispute surrounding Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate whose name was omitted from INEC’s final list of candidates published on 10 October.
The commission reportedly reached the decision after reviewing petitions submitted by political parties over the omission of their candidates’ names from the list ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to reports, INEC received 69 petitions and accepted some of the requests, including those concerning Pantami and Abdulsalam Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kano State. The commission reportedly rejected the petition seeking the inclusion of Ogun State PDP governorship candidate Ladi Adebutu.
However, Pantami’s reported clearance remains subject to the outcome of ongoing litigation, leaving the final determination of his candidacy dependent on the courts.
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Pantami emerged as the PDP governorship candidate following a fresh primary election conducted on 29 September, in compliance with a Federal High Court order that nullified the party’s earlier primary.
His omission from INEC’s final list triggered objections from the PDP and his legal team, who challenged the commission’s action and sought the publication of his name.
INEC had previously attributed the omission to the party’s alleged failure to comply with statutory requirements for submitting its membership register.
The reported reversal could provide temporary relief to Pantami’s supporters as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
However, while thousands of his supporters celebrate, the reported INEC decision is not a final resolution of the dispute surrounding Pantami’s candidacy, as court proceedings could still be pending.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC’s formal statement confirming the reported decision and the extent of its implementation had yet to be independently verified.
