GOMBE, Nigeria – In a major political shakeup, the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has officially withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship race in Gombe State, citing a complete subversion of internal democracy and widespread violations of the Electoral Act 2026.
Okay News reports that the decision was announced on Tuesday evening, May 19, 2026, in a strongly worded statement signed by Barrister Ibrahim M. Attahir on behalf of the Pantamiyya Movement. Pantami’s dramatic exit comes just 48 hours before the scheduled May 21 gubernatorial direct primary election, dealing a severe blow to the party’s cohesion in the state.
According to the movement, Pantami’s withdrawal is an act of peaceful protest against a “blatant disregard” for statutory guidelines and a systematic blacking out of major aspirants from essential polling data. Legal solicitors representing the tech professor reportedly sent multiple letters to various state and national organs of the APC requesting simple clarifications on local collation venues, voting procedures, and observer accreditations. The campaign claims these correspondences were completely ignored, creating a highly compromised environment designed to manufacture pre-determined outcomes.
The statement pointed to the recently concluded APC National Assembly direct primaries held on May 16 and 18 as evidence of a compromised process, alleging that no actual voting took place across Gombe State despite official results being broadcasted. The movement lamented that grassroots supporters, particularly women and youth who spearheaded a massive crowdfunding campaign to purchase Pantami’s nomination forms with donations ranging from ₦5,000 to ₦4 million, were completely sidelined. While noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had strictly directed the party to conduct transparent, credible direct primaries, the movement stated that local actors chose to ignore the presidency’s guidelines. Moving forward, the Pantamiyya Movement urged its vast network of followers to remain calm and united, teasing an impending political alignment and realignment as they chart their next steps.
