Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, has withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Gombe State, citing alleged breaches of the Electoral Act 2026 and irregularities in the party’s nomination process.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, via a post on his X handle.
According to Ahmad, Pantami stepped down over concerns about how the party’s selection process was being handled.
Pantami’s withdrawal comes amid rising tension within the APC in Gombe State following the adoption of Jamilu Gwamna as the party’s consensus governorship candidate for the 2027 elections.
The decision to back Gwamna followed a stakeholders’ meeting chaired by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, but it immediately sparked opposition from other aspirants who rejected the arrangement.
In a statement earlier, Pantami distanced himself from the consensus process, describing it as more of a “coronation” than a proper internal party agreement.
He argued that no valid consensus could be reached without the involvement and approval of all aspirants who had obtained nomination forms, insisting that the process violated electoral guidelines.
Pantami maintained that political parties are only permitted under law to either adopt a truly unanimous consensus or conduct direct primaries involving eligible members.
The development has further deepened divisions within the APC in Gombe State, where several aspirants continue to challenge what they describe as an imposed selection process ahead of the 2027 elections.