The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe State has nullified the emergence of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
This is just as the court also ordered the party to conduct a fresh governorship primary to select its candidate for the 2027 election.
Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed issued the order on Thursday while delivering judgment in a suit filed by Usman Aliyu Garry, who challenged the process through which Pantami emerged as the PDP candidate.
Garry approached the court after the PDP announced Pantami as its sole governorship candidate on June 26, 2026.
He argued that the process did not satisfy the requirements for a valid governorship primary, contending that the party failed to conduct the election required to produce its candidate.
Politics Nigeria reports that pantami’s emergence followed his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP.
The former minister had initially sought the APC governorship ticket but left the party after it settled on Jamilu Gwamna as its consensus candidate.
He subsequently joined the PDP and participated in the party’s governorship primary held in May, where he emerged as the candidate through voice affirmation.
The process was, however, challenged in court by Garry, who asked the court to invalidate Pantami’s emergence on the grounds that the PDP did not properly conduct the required primary election.
During proceedings in July, the Federal High Court reserved judgment after counsel to the parties adopted their final written addresses and concluded arguments in the pre-election matter.
Counsel to Garry, Eko-Ejembi Eko, urged the court to grant the reliefs sought by his client, arguing that the suit was meritorious and deserving of judicial intervention.
However, counsel to Pantami, Mohammed Abdul, SAN, represented by Benjamin Sati, urged the court to dismiss the suit, maintaining that Pantami’s emergence complied with the law and the PDP’s procedures.
After hearing the submissions, Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed commended counsel on both sides for the manner in which they conducted the case.
In its judgment on Thursday, the court upheld Garry’s challenge and directed the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary.
The court ordered that the new exercise must be conducted in accordance with the PDP’s guidelines and relevant provisions of the electoral laws.
In another development, the Kwara State chapter of PDP has appointed Prince Omar Bolaji Gambari as Director-General of its campaign organisation for the 2027 governorship election.
Gambari, who contested the party’s 2026 governorship primary alongside other aspirants before Suleiman Bolakale Kawu emerged as the candidate, will now coordinate the campaign structure ahead of the election.
His appointment was announced after an expanded meeting of the party leadership chaired by the state chairman, Isa Bawa Adamu.
In a statement on Wednesday, PDP state publicity secretary, Olusegun Adewara, said Gambari was among the leading aspirants who participated in the primary election won by Kawu.
There had been speculation after the primary that Gambari was dissatisfied with the outcome, but the party said he remained involved in its activities rather than leaving.
The PDP said Gambari’s background in international law, finance and real estate would contribute to coordinating the party’s campaign across the state.