PDP Lawyers Give INEC Three-day To Publish Pantami’s Name
Lawyers to the Peoples Democratic Party and its Gombe State governorship candidate, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim, have given the Independent National Electoral Commission a three-day ultimatum to publish his name on the final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election.
The lawyers, led by Ahmed Raji, SAN, made the demand in a letter dated October 12, 2026, addressed to the INEC Chairman, describing the omission of Ibrahim’s name from the list published on October 10 as unlawful and unexplained.
They urged INEC to include his name and give it the same prominence as other candidates’.
The letter read in part, “Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim is a duly registered member of the PDP at Pantami Ward, Gombe State. He duly submitted the updated PDP membership register (containing his name) to the Commission (see Annexure A hereto). He purchased the PDP Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the gubernatorial primary.
“After screening and clearance, he participated in the governorship primary election of the PDP, Gombe State, emerging as the winner on the 26th day of May, 2026. Thereafter, the PDP submitted his personal particulars (Form EC9) to the Commission on the 8th day of August, 2026, pursuant to Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and the Commission published his name on the 29th day of August, 2026, pursuant to Section 29(3) of the Act. Up to this point, no step was taken by the Commission to question any aspect of his emergence.
“The primary of 26th May, 2026, was thereafter challenged in Suit No. FHC/GM/CS/9/2026 between Usman Aliyu (Garry) v. PDP & 2 Ors and Suit No. FHC/GM/CS/10/2026 between Khamisu Ahmed & Anor v. PDP & 2 Ors before the Federal High Court, Gombe. The second and fourth questions submitted for determination in the Originating Summons squarely challenged Isa Ali Ibrahim’s membership, contending that, because his name was not in the PDP register submitted to the Commission, he was ineligible to contest the primary. Those issues were fully litigated on affidavit evidence and determined.”
The PDP lawyers said the Federal High Court did not establish that Professor Pantami was ineligible to be recognised as a member of the party or to emerge as its governorship candidate for Gombe State in the 2027 election.
The legal team, citing judgments in Suits Nos. FHC/GM/CS/9/2026 and FHC/GM/CS/10/2026, said the court ruled against the plaintiffs on the questions concerning Ibrahim’s membership and eligibility.
They added that the court held that the party’s recognition of Ibrahim as a member, supported by his membership card and the party register, was sufficient to dismiss the claims of ineligibility.
The letter added, “By the two judgments of the 24th day of September, 2026, the Court nullified the primary of 26th May, 2026, on grounds relating to the conduct of that exercise, and directed the PDP to conduct a fresh gubernatorial primary election within 30 days, in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026, its Constitution and its Electoral Guidelines, ‘affording the Plaintiff and all other aspirants whose clearance from the screening exercise of 14th May 2026 remains valid the opportunity to participate.’
“The Court’s consequential orders restrained the PDP and the Commission only from recognising, accepting, publishing or giving effect to a nomination ‘arising from the exercise of 26 May 2026′ (judgments annexed as Annexures B and C, respectively).
“In compliance with the Court Order, the PDP gave the Commission due notice of the court-ordered primary and conducted the fresh gubernatorial primary election on Tuesday, the 29th day of September, 2026. The Commission conducted the exercise in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026, the PDP Constitution and its Electoral Guidelines, and officials of the Commission attended, observed and monitored it; the Commission’s monitoring report is in its custody (Annexure D hereto).
“At the conclusion of that exercise, Isa Ali Ibrahim emerged the winner, and his name was again submitted to the Commission as the nominated candidate of the PDP.”
The PDP lawyers argued that only a court can order the removal of a nominated candidate’s name, adding that INEC’s role in party primaries is to observe, monitor and report, not disqualify candidates.
They stated, “It is settled law, binding on the Commission, that the removal of a nominated candidate’s name is exclusively a judicial act: DINGYADI & ANOR v. INEC & ORS (2011) LPELR-950(SC); RAYMOND v. INEC & ORS (2023) LPELR-61366(CA); AC & ANOR v. INEC (2007) LPELR-66(SC). The Commission’s role in primaries is to attend, observe, monitor and report, not to disqualify and not to cherry-pick.
“In the circumstances, we have our Clients’ firm and unequivocal instructions to demand, and we hereby demand, that the Commission, on or before Wednesday, the 14th day of October, 2026, publish and circulate the name of Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the office of Governor of Gombe State in the 2027 general elections, in the same manner and with the same prominence as the names of all other candidates published on the 10th day of October, 2026.
“We trust that the Commission, as an impartial electoral umpire committed to the rule of law and compliance with judicial orders, will take immediate corrective action and confirm in writing the steps taken to resolve this matter.”
INEC on Saturday published its final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections, leaving out the PDP from the lists for Ogun and Gombe states.
The lists, signed by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony, include 13 candidates for Ogun and 16 for Gombe, excluding PDP nominees Ladi Adebutu and Isa Ali Pantami.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, in a statement on Sunday, appealed to the affected candidates, members and supporters to remain calm as talks with the commission continued.
