Garry’s Camp Drags PDP’s Pantami Ticket Before INEC

By Abubakar Rabilu, Gombe

The legal battle over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s governorship ticket in Gombe State has taken a fresh turn, with lawyers representing governorship aspirant, Hon. Usman Aliyu Garry, asking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to scrutinise the party’s nomination of Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami for the 2027 election.

In a seven-page petition addressed to the INEC chairman, Garry’s legal team questioned whether the PDP complied with statutory requirements on party membership registration before presenting Pantami as its governorship candidate.

The letter, dated October 12, 2026, and received by the commission on October 13, urged INEC to examine the party’s membership records in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The lawyers specifically cited Section 77 of the Act, which addresses the submission of political parties’ membership registers to INEC within the period prescribed by law.

They also relied on the Supreme Court judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, suit number SC/CV/495/2026, delivered on September 24, 2026, arguing that political parties must strictly comply with the legal requirements governing membership records.

At the centre of the petition is the question of when Pantami became a registered member of the PDP and whether his name appeared in the party’s membership register before the statutory deadline.

Garry’s lawyers asked INEC to verify the relevant records and establish whether the PDP fulfilled the legal conditions required before nominating Pantami to contest its governorship primary.

The legal team also drew the commission’s attention to proceedings in suit number FHC/GM/CS/09/2026, urging it to consider the relevant legal issues in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities.

As part of the requested action, the lawyers called on INEC to examine the PDP’s digital membership register for Gombe State and verify the entries relating to Pantami before reaching a position on the party’s nomination.

The petition adds another layer to the prolonged controversy surrounding the PDP’s governorship ticket in Gombe State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The party’s nomination process has been dogged by court cases, internal disagreements and competing claims among aspirants, with compliance with electoral laws emerging as a major issue in determining who may ultimately represent the PDP.

However, the petition does not, in itself, invalidate Pantami’s candidacy or establish that he is ineligible to contest. The issues raised remain subject to verification, the applicable legal provisions and any decisions by the relevant authorities or courts.

INEC’s response and the outcome of any related court proceedings could prove significant in determining the next stage of the dispute over the PDP’s governorship ticket in Gombe State.