Pantami Says It’s ‘A Temporary Challenge’ As INEC Omits His Name From Final List Of Guber Candidates…Adebutu Also Affected

The week ended on a low note for former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami and Hon. Ladi Adebutu as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) omitted their names from the governorship candidates’ list released on Saturday.

While Pantami is the Gombe State PDP governorship candidate, Hon Adebutu is the Ogun State PDP guber candidate.

The list showed that 16 candidates including Bala Bello Tinka of ADC, Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna of APC and Babayo Ardo Kumo of NDC have gotten the go-ahead to contest the Gombe State governorship election that will be held on February 6, 2027 while Pantami was excluded.

The list signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony was published on the INEC website on Saturday.

Recall that the Federal High Court, Gombe had, on September 24, nullified the primary election that produced Pantami as guber candidate and ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh primary within 30 days.

Pantami had however emerged as winner of the fresh primary and his supporters had heaved a sigh of relief until Saturday’s shocking development.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Professor Ali Pantami has reacted to omission of his name noting that there is no cause for alarm.

In a statement issued on his behalf by Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe, Professor Ali Pantami called the omission of his name ‘ a temporary challenge’ while urging calm.

‘Our attention has been drawn to the non-publication of the name of our candidate from the fresh primary election of 29th September, 2026, as ordered by the Federal High Court, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), CON, PhD, FCIIS, FBCS, FNCS, in the list released by INEC, and we understand the concerns this has raised among our teeming supporters in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Pantamiyya Movement across Gombe State and beyond.

We wish to assure all our supporters to remain calm, steadfast, and hopeful. This is a temporary challenge and a normal part of the electoral process, not a final determination, in sha Allah. We are aware of the people working behind the scenes to frustrate good and responsible leadership in Gombe State, but our legal and liaison teams are already engaging with the relevant organs of the party and INEC to ensure full compliance and rectification within the window provided by law. By the grace of Allah, this matter will be resolved.

We urge our supporters to continue their mobilisation and to remain focused on our collective ideology of service to humanity. The PDP and Pantamiyya Movement remain strong, united, and committed to the rescue and emancipation of our people. No distraction will derail our course, insha Allah’ the statement said.

Ogun State PDP has also reacted to the non-recognition of its governorship candidate, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu by INEC expressing confidence that the issue would be resolved.

The state Publicity Secretary, Arc. Kayode Adebayo in a statement he issued on Sunday noted that Hon Adebutu participated in the party’s digital membership registration exercise during which his membership card was printed and verified before being submitted to INEC within the prescribed timeframe.

‘We state emphatically that our candidate, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, has never left the Peoples Democratic Party at any time. He duly registered as a member of the party within the designated period of the digital registration exercise, and his membership card was printed, verified and submitted to INEC at the stipulated time’ the statement said.

In the meantime, Rivers State gubernatorial candidate, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, had his candidacy firmly protected on Saturday despite fears that he might not scale through.

Hon Chinda made the list of Rivers State guber candidates and his name was number 5 on the list-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079,  08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you