Ahead of the upcoming governorship primary elections, a former Minister and prominent aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has announced his withdrawal from the race.
The former minister announced his decision under protest on Tuesday citing widespread violations of the Electoral Act 2026 and the party’s failure to establish credible channels of communication necessary for a fair contest.
The withdrawal was formalized in a statement signed by Barrister Ibrahim M. Attahir on behalf of the Pantamiyya Movement.
According to the group, Pantami had demonstrated absolute loyalty to the party by fully participating in all pre-election requirements, including being the only governorship aspirant to send a representative to sign the Peace Accord organized by the Nigeria Police Force Gombe State Command on May 14, 2026.
Despite this commitment, the movement stated that the aspirant was repeatedly denied access to critical election data. Letters sent by Pantami’s solicitors to various organs of the APC requesting specific details about the direct primaries went unacknowledged, leaving key administrative issues completely unresolved.
The statement raised serious concerns about the integrity of the APC’s internal electoral processes in Gombe State, pointing to the recently concluded National Assembly direct primaries held between May 16 and May 18, 2026.
The Pantamiyya Movement alleged that no actual voting took place during those exercises, noting that grassroots party members, who form the bedrock of Pantami’s political strength, were completely sidelined.
The group further claimed that despite several requests, the party leadership withheld vital information regarding election venues, accreditation procedures for agents and observers, and the designated locations for vote collation.
The movement noted that the failure to implement a transparent framework directly contradicted the directives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who had previously insisted on the execution of free, fair, and credible direct primaries across the federation. Non-compliance with the Electoral Act and party guidelines, the statement argued, rendered the entire upcoming exercise unsafe and illegitimate, making Pantami’s participation in the scheduled May 21, 2026, primary impossible.
Expressing appreciation to his political base, Pantami extended his gratitude to the youth and supporters who collectively used crowdfunding to purchase his expression of interest and nomination forms, with individual contributions ranging from five thousand Naira to four million Naira.
While the sudden exit marks a significant shift in the Gombe State political landscape, the Pantamiyya Movement maintained that its commitment to advancing good governance remains unshakable.
The group urged its followers, mentees, and supporters across Nigeria to remain united, announcing that it would communicate its next political steps and alignments in due course.