PDP

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it is engaging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resolve the exclusion of some of its candidates from the final lists for the 2027 elections.

Jungudo Mohammed, spokesperson for the PDP faction backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.

The development followed INEC’s publication of its final governorship candidate lists on Saturday, which reportedly excluded some PDP candidates, including Isa Pantami of Gombe State and Ladi Adebutu of Ogun State.

Mohammed said the party was concerned about the omissions and had opened discussions with the electoral commission to address the issues in line with the law and established electoral guidelines.

“The PDP therefore assures all concerned that it is treating this development with the utmost seriousness it deserves and will communicate further developments as appropriate. The Party is committed to ensuring that all legitimate concerns are properly addressed with the Commission,” the statement reads.

He urged affected candidates, party members and supporters to remain calm and avoid statements or actions that could jeopardise the ongoing discussions with INEC.

The dispute comes amid the legal implications of a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24 concerning provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and the nomination of candidates for the 2027 elections.

INEC had earlier said it would determine how the judgment would affect the nomination process.

A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court upheld an appeal filed by INEC, restoring Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, the court held that the provisions, which the Court of Appeal had voided in July, were not inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.

Section 77(5) requires political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC at least 21 days before a primary, congress or convention. Only members whose names appear on the submitted register may participate in the exercise.

Section 77(6) prohibits parties from using a membership register other than the one submitted to INEC for their primaries, congresses and conventions.

Section 77(7) further provides that a political party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated period cannot field a candidate in the election.

The PDP said it would communicate further developments as its engagement with INEC continues.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir


The name of Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami has been omitted from the list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), prompting concerns among his supporters in Gombe State.

In a statement dated October 10, 2026, Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe said Pantami’s name was missing from the list following a fresh Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election held on September 29, reportedly ordered by the Federal High Court.

Gombe assured supporters that the omission was a temporary setback, adding that the candidate’s legal and liaison teams were engaging with relevant party organs and INEC to secure a resolution within the period allowed by law.

He urged members of the PDP and the Pantamiyya Movement to remain calm and continue their mobilisation, expressing confidence that the matter would be resolved.

The statement did not specify the reasons for the omission or provide further details of the ongoing legal engagements.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami has won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fresh primary for the Gombe State governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 election.

The primary was held on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Pantami polled 2,054 votes to emerge as the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State.

Khamisu Mailantarki came second with 389 votes, while Usman Garry came third with 112 votes.

A total of 2,555 PDP members voted in the primary across Gombe State.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Kano State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has adopted Muhammad Sani Abacha as its governorship candidate for the 2027 election after Muhammad Bello Dalhatu withdrew from the race.

The decision was reached at an expanded meeting of the party’s State Executive Committee in Kano on Wednesday, September 16.

PDP state chairman, Dr Bello Gambo Bichi, said the process followed the party’s constitution and relevant electoral provisions governing the replacement of a candidate who voluntarily steps down.

“Last time we did a primary election in which Mohammed Bello Dalha was declared winner, but following consultations among stakeholders in Kano and Abuja, the candidate decided to withdraw.

“The law says that as a result of withdrawal, a replacement primary must be held. That is what brought us here today.

“We have affirmed Muhammad Sani Abacha as the gubernatorial candidate of our great party in Kano State,” Bichi explained.”

The party subsequently conducted a replacement primary on September 16, with Dr Abba Abdullahi, chairman of the electoral panel, declaring Abacha the winner.

Abdullahi said the exercise complied with the PDP’s internal guidelines and applicable electoral regulations. He also stated that Abacha fulfilled the conditions required to secure the party’s nomination.

The state chairman also announced that the party had reached an agreement to resolve its factional disagreements through a reconciliation arrangement.

Under the agreement, the deputy governorship ticket was allocated to the Turaki faction. Yusuf Ado Kibiya, a former factional PDP chairman and former Commissioner for Land and Agriculture, was subsequently announced as the party’s deputy governorship candidate.

“After a wide consultation and reconciliation, we agreed to give the deputy governorship slot to the Turaki faction here in Kano. With this, there is no faction in Kano PDP.

“We have reconciled,” he said, adding that representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) witnessed the process,” he said.

Bichi further disclosed that the reconciliation also resulted in changes to some of the party’s National Assembly and state assembly candidates.

He maintained that the developments had brought the different camps together and described the party as “waxing stronger” ahead of the elections.

The resolution of the internal dispute and the emergence of Abacha come after a period of disagreements within the Kano PDP.

Party leaders said the reconciliation was intended to bring members of the different camps together and strengthen the party’s organisation across the state ahead of the 2027 governorship contest.

Bichi expressed confidence in the party’s prospects, saying the resolution of the dispute and Abacha’s emergence had positioned the PDP to win the next general election.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially nominated Senator Sandy Onor as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, putting to rest widespread speculation that former President Goodluck Jonathan would be the party’s flagbearer.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already published Senator Onor’s name as the PDP’s presidential candidate, contrary to rumors that had been circulating heavily on social media platforms.

The announcement was made on May 26, 2026, at a ceremony in Abuja, where former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom formally unveiled Onor as the party’s consensus candidate. The event was held under the leadership of PDP National Chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman, who endorsed the decision.

Onor was presented with his Certificate of Return and the party’s official flag during the gathering, which was witnessed by INEC officials who were present to observe the proceedings.

The development marks a significant shift in the PDP’s strategy ahead of the 2027 elections, as the party rallies behind the Senator from Cross River State as its standard-bearer.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, has criticised ex-Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, over past comments in which the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was allegedly described as an “infidel party.”

Lamido spoke on Saturday while hosting PDP governorship candidates from Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Yobe and Jigawa states at his residence in Bamaina, Jigawa State.

The former governor reflected on the years the PDP held power at the federal level. He said the party faced criticism from political opponents as well as some Islamic clerics.

“The PDP was labelled corrupt, and some even described it as an ‘infidel party.’ Despite all that, I remained in the party because it gave me the opportunity to serve Nigeria as Minister of Foreign Affairs and twice as Governor of Jigawa State,” he said.

Lamido also revealed that some leading members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, visited him after the 2015 general elections in an attempt to convince him to defect to the ruling party.

According to him, the delegation included former President Muhammadu Buhari, President Bola Tinubu and former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola.

“I told them I could not abandon the party that made me who I am. Instead, I challenged them to come and join the PDP,” Lamido stated.

He further alleged that Pantami, during his time as Chief Imam of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Jumu’ah Mosque, delivered sermons against the PDP and prayed against the party.

Lamido claimed that Pantami later joined the PDP after he failed to secure the APC governorship ticket in Gombe State, a development that sparked reactions in political circles.

Pantami has yet to respond publicly to the remarks attributed to him by the former governor.

The comments emerged amid increasing political consultations and defections ahead of the 2027 general elections.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State has distanced itself from what it describes as an illegal primary election conducted by a faction of disgruntled members, insisting that the party remains united and has already concluded all nomination processes.

In a press statement issued on May 30, 2026, the state party leadership, led by former Governor Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (Talban Gombe) and state Chairman Major General Amnon Kalaye Kwaskebe (Rtd), said the actions of certain mischief-makers pose a threat to party unity and democracy.

According to the statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Abdulkadir Ahmad Dukku, all PDP primary elections in Gombe State have been completed, and the party has no faction. The leadership specifically confirmed the recent affirmation of Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami as the party’s gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 general elections.

“The PDP in Gombe State is one united family without any faction and cannot stand to watch mischief elements causing confusion within the party ranks,” the statement read. “We therefore disassociate ourselves from such unconstitutional acts capable of causing division among party members.”

The party advised all stakeholders, members, and supporters to ignore the activities of what it called unpatriotic elements who do not want the progress and development of Gombe State.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The crisis engulfing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) burst into the open again this week as a faction loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike flatly denied any plans to field former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2027 presidential election—even as a competing splinter group moved to ratify him as its candidate.

The Wike-backed faction, which claims legitimacy as the party’s authentic leadership, said Jonathan has neither purchased nomination forms nor engaged with its structure.

“Goodluck has not purchased our form yet and he has not been romancing with us, so we are not expecting him to come,” Mohammed Haruna Jungudo, National Publicity Secretary of that faction, told reporters. “You are not talking to Kabiru Turaki’s group.”

The denial came days before a parallel faction led by former Minister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki scheduled a special national convention for May 30 at the A’ Class Event Centre in Wuse 2, Abuja, to formally ratify Jonathan as its presidential flag bearer.

On May 19, 2026, the Turaki faction’s screening committee—chaired by former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu—granted Jonathan a waiver and cleared him as its sole presidential aspirant, citing his prior service as deputy governor, governor, vice president, and president.

“He has been declared and cleared as a candidate of the PDP for the presidential election,” Aliyu said.

The PDP has been mired in leadership disputes since losing power in 2015, with multiple factions operating parallel structures and pursuing court battles. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognizes certain leadership claims while other groups exist in legal limbo. Key fault lines involve Wike, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and other chieftains vying for control.

Jonathan, who served as president from 2010 to 2015 and has largely stayed out of active politics since leaving office, has not publicly confirmed or denied interest in a return. He did not appear for screening, and his team has maintained a low profile, fueling speculation.

A federal High Court in Abuja recently dismissed a suit challenging Jonathan’s eligibility, ruling he can contest and awarding costs against the plaintiff—a decision the Turaki faction hailed as a victory.

Political analyst Victoria N. Ikeano described the situation as “a mystery,” suggesting it could be either a calculated strategic ruse or a reflection of factional maneuvering with no real candidate yet.

Meanwhile, another faction has reportedly adopted former Senator Sandy Onor as its consensus presidential candidate, further illustrating the multiple parallel tracks within the fractured opposition party.

By Ukasha Kofarnassarawa 

Like almost everyone, I saw that Sheikh Ali Isa Ibrahim Pantami is now PDP’s gubernatorial flag bearer for Gombe State. Congratulations to him. Pantami is now everything he once criticised. But that’s not my focus here; the internet has receipts for anyone interested in digging.

The real calculation:

Amid all the “consensus-coronation” drama unfolding nationwide, many observers expected Sheikh to defect to either ADC or the NDC, which are seen as the strongest opposition blocs. But Abuja is playing a different game. This looks calculated.

Right now, the entire core North — both North-West and North-East — is held by APC governors, except Bauchi, which lately switched to APM. The party’s structure and acceptability are widely seen as weak, and the state is likely to return to APC in the next election, given its current flag bearer, the former governor of the state.

For the President’s party, having zero opposition across the whole core north would be a dangerous optics problem. It would look like a monopoly. To avoid that, Abuja needs to “sacrifice” 2  core northern states to the opposition, just to create balance. One in the northwest and the other in the northeast.

And among all opposition parties, PDP is the “lesser evil” from Abuja’s view because one of its sons controls a major faction there. So Pantami decamped to the PDP, which functions as an extension of the APC. The plan: he gets “appointed” governor to create the illusion of balance, then switches to the main APC immediately after winning.

Abuja’s handwriting is not hard to understand.

Ukasha Kofarnassarawa wrote via Ukasha_sani@yahoo.com.

By Muhammad Abubakar

A major crisis has erupted within the Peoples Democratic Party in Gombe State following the emergence of former minister Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami as the party’s governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 election.

One of the aspirants, Alhaji Abdulkadir Hamma Saleh, alongside other contenders including Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, Usman Aliyu Garry, and Monica Kaltho, rejected the outcome of the PDP primary held on Tuesday. Pantami was declared winner through a voice vote after delegates affirmed him as the party’s sole candidate.

The aggrieved aspirants argued that Pantami was ineligible to contest the PDP primary because he had only recently left the ruling All Progressives Congress after participating in its internal political process. They claimed electoral laws do not permit a politician to contest in two different party primaries within the same election cycle.

Saleh also questioned the sudden postponement of the PDP primary from Sunday to Tuesday, describing the process as unfair and unlawful. He confirmed that his legal team had begun preparations to challenge Pantami’s emergence in court and urged his supporters across Gombe State to remain peaceful while the matter is resolved legally.

Pantami, who recently defected from the APC after criticising the party’s consensus arrangement that produced Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna as a candidate, said his decision to join the PDP was driven by a desire to tackle poverty and improve governance in Gombe State.