By Paul Joseph
Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, has formally submitted his governorship nomination form at the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, deepening the political tension surrounding the party’s controversial consensus arrangement in Gombe State.
Pantami’s move comes days after APC stakeholders in Gombe endorsed businessman and politician Jamilu Gwamna as the party’s consensus governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 election.
The consensus decision was reached during an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting presided over by Governor Inuwa Yahaya, who remains the recognized leader of the APC in the state.
According to a statement issued after the meeting, party leaders unanimously backed Gwamna as the preferred governorship candidate for the next election cycle.
However, the arrangement immediately sparked outrage within Pantami’s political camp, with the Pantamiyya Movement rejecting the process and accusing party leaders of undermining democratic principles.
The group argued that the consensus arrangement violated both the APC constitution and the spirit of internal democracy championed by President Bola Tinubu.
Pantami himself had earlier criticised the process during an interview with BBC Hausa, insisting that what transpired in Gombe could not be described as a genuine consensus.
“What happened is not consensus but coronation,” the former minister declared.
He maintained that aspirants should be allowed to test their popularity through a transparent primary election rather than being imposed by party stakeholders.
“The right thing is for the party to conduct direct primaries in line with democratic principles. Whoever emerges through a transparent process will have my full support,” he said.
In a dramatic escalation of the dispute, Pantami’s supporters on Thursday announced that his completed nomination form had been officially submitted at the APC national secretariat in Abuja.
A statement posted on Pantami’s official X account said the form was purchased by youths who benefited from his mentorship and interventions during his time in office.
Photographs released by the camp showed members of the delegation presenting the documents to APC officials, including the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka.
“Professor Isa Ali Pantami has officially submitted his governorship nomination form for Gombe State,” the statement read.
It added that the submission was made in line with APC guidelines ahead of the governorship primary election scheduled for the 21st of this month.
Pantami’s loyalists also vowed not to back down from the contest, declaring that the primary election would become one of the fiercest political battles in Gombe State’s recent history.
“There will be no retreat and no surrender,” the statement added.
The development signals a looming internal showdown within the APC in Gombe State, as divisions widen over the party’s adoption of consensus candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
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