Mailantarki challenges Pantami’s eligibility after Gombe PDP rerun

Khamisu Mailantarki has challenged Isa Pantami’s eligibility to contest the Peoples Democratic Party’s rerun governorship primary in Gombe State, after Pantami won the exercise. The rerun was held after the Federal High Court voided Pantami’s earlier nomination. Mailantarki, who came second, questioned the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy’s participation when speaking to journalists after the primary.

Mailantarki said the Electoral Act allowed only party members whose names appeared on the register submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission in May to take part in primaries. He said he had previously raised the issue with both the PDP and INEC through his lawyers. He referred to a recent Supreme Court decision on the relevant provisions of the Act and argued that Pantami was not a party member at the required time.

“Despite our warnings, the PDP went ahead and fielded Isa Ali,” Mailantarki said, according to Premium Times. Mailantarki argued that the primary should have been limited to himself and Aliyu Garry, whom he said were the two qualified aspirants at the relevant time. Because he secured more votes than Garry, he said he should be declared the winner.

He said he would consult his lawyers and other legal advisers before deciding his next steps, including whether to challenge the outcome in court. The dispute adds another legal challenge to the PDP’s 2027 governorship ticket in Gombe State. The source said the latest development followed an earlier court-ordered rerun and competing claims about which aspirants were legally qualified.