The Federal High Court in Gombe State has nullified Prof. Isa Pantami’s governorship ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over a faulty primary election and political alliances.

In its ruling in Gombe yesterday voiding the candidacy of the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, the court, presided over by Justice Amina Mohammed, also ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh primary election to nominate its candidate.

This comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed October 10, 2026 as the final date to upload the final list of governorship and state assembly nominees for next year’s poll.

Gary Usman, who contested for the PDP ticket, had challenged Pantami’s victory, contending that the process through which he emerged did not conform with the Electoral Act and the PDP Constitution.

Meanwhile, close sources told The Guardian that apart from the observed flaws in the primary election, Pantami, who was brought into the state chapter of PDP by former Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, ran into troubled waters due to his closeness with the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma.

According to sources, no sooner had he picked the PDP flag after being edged out from the All Progressives Congress (APC) by Governor Inuwa Yahaya than his trouble started.