Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami has withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Gombe State, citing alleged violations of the Electoral Act 2026 and a lack of transparency in the process.
In a statement issued on 19 May 2026 by Barrister Ibrahim M. Attahir on behalf of the Pantamiyya Movement, the former minister said his decision followed what he described as the party’s failure to provide “a channel of communication and information essential for a credible contest”.
Pantami, who had joined the race after what his camp described as pressure from political stakeholders, said he complied fully with the party’s guidelines and demonstrated loyalty throughout the process.
The statement noted that he was the only aspirant who sent a representative to a peace accord convened by the Nigeria Police Force, Gombe State Command, on 14 May.
“He was the only APC governorship aspirant to send a representative to the Peace Accord organised by the Nigeria Police Force, Gombe State Command, on 14 May 2026. His representative was the only one who signed the Peace Accord during the meeting,” the statement read.
Despite this, the camp alleged that Pantami was shut out of critical information needed to participate in the primaries.
According to the statement, “Letters sent by his solicitors to the various organs of the party requesting details and raising concerns about the forthcoming governorship direct primaries received no reply or acknowledgment. The requests were not granted, and the issues remain unresolved.”
The statement argued that the integrity of the electoral process had already been compromised, citing the conduct of the National Assembly primaries held on 16 and 18 May in the state.
“The people of Gombe State witnessed what transpired during the direct primary ‘elections’ for the National Assembly held on 16 and 18 May 2026,” it said, adding that grassroots members were sidelined in the process.
Pantami’s camp further claimed that no actual voting took place during those exercises, saying “During the National Assembly primaries, no actual election took place in the state. According to the testimony of several aspirants, relevant details on venues, procedures, and agent and observer accreditation were not provided, but results were announced.”
The former minister maintained that the absence of basic electoral information undermined the credibility of the planned governorship primary scheduled for 21 May.
“Prof. Pantami had requested details on the time and place for accreditation of agents and observers, the procedures for accreditation, voting, and collation, and the location of collation centres. This information should have been provided to all aspirants without being solicited. As of this moment, nothing has been provided,” the statement read.
The statement also referenced directives by Bola Ahmed Tinubu on credible primaries, alleging that they were not implemented in Gombe.
Announcing his withdrawal, Pantami described the move as a protest against what he termed disregard for the law and due process.
According to Attahir, “After extensive consultations with stakeholders and careful reflection on the developments in Gombe State, Prof. Pantami has taken the difficult decision to withdraw from the APC governorship primary election scheduled for 21 May 2026, under protest. Peaceful protest is a fundamental pillar of democracy.”
He also expressed appreciation to his supporters, particularly young people who funded his aspiration through public contributions.
“Prof. Pantami expresses deep gratitude to the youth who used crowdfunding to purchase his expression of interest and nomination forms. Contributions ranged from ₦5,000 to ₦4 million, and receipts were issued and shared publicly online by the contributors,” he said.
The Pantamiyya Movement said it would, in due course, communicate its next political steps, while reaffirming its commitment to “advancing good governance” and resisting injustice through lawful means.
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