JUST IN: Pantami’s Name Missing From INEC Final Gombe Governorship Candidates’ List
The name of Professor Isa Ali Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Gombe State, is missing from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for the…
INEC's publication of final candidates' lists is a statutory step ahead of governorship elections, meant to formally confirm who is legally cleared to contest after nomination, screening and any court-ordered substitutions. The omission of a party's candidate from such a list is a serious matter, as it can affect a candidate's eligibility to appear on the ballot or have votes counted in their favour, often triggering legal disputes, petitions to the commission, or last-minute litigation.
The reports agree that Professor Isa Ali Pantami, the PDP's governorship aspirant in Gombe State, does not appear on INEC's final list for the state, with Punch noting that the PDP itself also appears to be missing and that his camp has called for calm rather than alarm. A similar episode involving the PDP's Ladi Adebutu in Ogun State, also reported in the same cycle, suggests the Gombe case may not be isolated. What remains unclear across the coverage is INEC's official explanation for the omission, whether it stems from an administrative error, an unresolved internal party dispute, or a court ruling, and what remedy—if any—is available to affected candidates before the election proceeds.