Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, has thrown the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State into turmoil by submitting his governorship nomination form, openly rejecting the party’s consensus arrangement.
The move comes days after the APC in Gombe State announced Jamilu Gwamna as its consensus governorship candidate following an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting led by Governor Inuwa Yahaya.
Pantami’s loyalists, under the Pantamiyya Movement, had earlier rejected the arrangement, describing it as a violation of the APC constitution and democratic principles. In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Pantami dismissed the process as a mere selection and demanded direct primaries.
A statement shared on Pantami’s X account on Thursday confirmed that a delegation of his support group formally submitted the nomination form at the APC national headquarters in Abuja.
“Professor Isa Ali Pantami has officially submitted his governorship nomination form for Gombe State, purchased for him by youths whose lives have been positively impacted through his support and interventions.”
The statement further noted, “Today, Thursday, a delegation representing some of the youths formally submitted the nomination form in fulfilment of the requirements set by the APC for aspirants contesting the Gombe State governorship primary election scheduled for the 21st of this month, where the party’s candidate will emerge.”
“There will be no retreat and no surrender,” Urging supporters to stay firm, the group declared.
Pantami has vowed to challenge what he described as injustice and pledged to support whoever emerges through a transparent process. The development sets the stage for a potential showdown at the APC primary scheduled for May 21.
