INEC DROPS PANTAMI’S NAME FROM FINAL GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATES LIST

October 10, 2026 • Dons Eze • 1 min read

The name of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, is missing from the final list of governorship candidates for the February 6, 2027, election in Gombe State, released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

INEC published the final list of 16 cleared candidates for the election, with Pantami, whose name appeared on the provisional list released on August 29, absent from the updated list.

The development comes amid a similar situation in Ogun State, where the names of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, and his running mate are also missing from INEC’s final list of candidates for the state’s governorship election.

In Gombe State, the final list features Bala Bello Tinka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Babayo Ardo Kumo of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

Other candidates cleared by INEC include Zubairu Mu’azu Halilu of the Labour Party, Lamela L. Silas of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Ibrahim Jalo Abubakar of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and Adamu Mohammed Ma’aji of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), among others.

Dons Eze

DONS EZE, PhD, Political Philosopher and Journalist of over four decades standing, worked in several newspaper houses across the country, and rose to the positions of Editor and General Manager. A UNESCO Fellow in Journalism, Dr. Dons Eze, a prolific writer and author of many books, attended several courses on Journalism and Communication in both Nigeria and overseas, including a Postgraduate Course on Journalism at Warsaw, Poland; Strategic Communication and Practical Communication Approach at RIPA International, London, the United Kingdom, among others.