Fresh Gombe Primary: PDP Writes INEC, Schedules Sept 29 After Pantami’s Ticket Issue
The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has formally notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its decision to conduct a fresh governorship primary in Gombe State on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, following the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the exercise that produced Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami as the party’s candidate.
In an official letter dated September 24, 2026, and addressed to the INEC Chairman, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) announced that the repeat primary would take place at the PDP State Secretariat in Gombe.
The letter, jointly signed by the party’s National Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, and National Secretary, Senator Samuel N. Anyanwu, was stamped as received by INEC on September 24, the same day the court delivered its judgment.
The correspondence, titled “Notice of Conduct of Repeat Gubernatorial Primary Election, Gombe State,” stated that the exercise was being organised in compliance with the Federal High Court’s directive.
The national leadership’s notification provides further details in an announcement by the Gombe State chapter of the PDP, which also fixed September 29 for the repeat exercise.
In a public notice issued on Friday, September 25, the State Publicity Secretary, Abdulkadir Ahmed Dukku, informed party members that eligible voters were expected to assemble in their respective wards to participate in the selection process.
The state chapter also appealed to members, supporters and other stakeholders to cooperate with the organisers and conduct themselves peacefully.
The latest development follows Thursday’s judgment by the Federal High Court in Gombe, which nullified the May 26 primary through which Pantami, a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
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Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed ordered the party to conduct a fresh primary within 30 days in accordance with its constitution, electoral guidelines and applicable laws.
As earlier reported by PRNigeria , Pantami emerged after other governorship aspirants were disqualified, prompting legal challenges to the party’s nomination process.
Four aspirants initially challenged the exercise. Monica Yahya Kolthi subsequently withdrew her case and declared support for Pantami, while Hamma Saleh, Khamis Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu pursued their challenges.
According to the earlier report, the court dismissed Saleh’s case but found that the party had failed to formally notify Mailantarki and Usman of their disqualification, despite a directive from its National Working Committee.
The report also stated that the court affirmed Pantami’s PDP membership and directed that he, Mailantarki and Usman be notified to participate in the repeat primary.
Other published accounts of the judgment reported that the court set aside Pantami’s nomination and restrained him from presenting himself as the party’s governorship candidate pending a valid primary.
Reacting to the ruling on Thursday, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Haruna Mohammed Jungudo, said the party would study the judgment and take the necessary steps to comply with the court’s directives.
The subsequent letter to INEC and the state chapter’s public announcement have now established September 29 as the date for the repeat exercise.
Neither notice identified the aspirants cleared to contest the fresh primary or clarified the differing venue arrangements. The party has also not publicly explained whether further screening or additional procedural steps will precede the election.
The repeat primary is expected to determine the PDP’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Gombe State, subject to compliance with the court’s judgment and applicable electoral requirements.
By PRNigeria
