Former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has rejected the consensus arrangement that produced Dr. Jamilu Ishiyaku Gwamna as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Gombe State for the 2027 general election.
Pantami made his position known in a statement posted on his verified Facebook page on Sunday and signed by Professor Suleiman Mohammed on behalf of supporters and members of the Pantamiyya Movement, hours after APC stakeholders in Gombe State announced Gwamna as the party’s consensus candidate.
Reacting to the development, Pantami, who was in Abuja at the time, described the process as a “coronation” rather than a legitimate consensus.
“Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, CON was in Abuja today evening, we heard about the emergence of a coronation which is called a ‘consensus’ for all the elective positions in Gombe State,” the statement read.
He argued that the process did not comply with legal provisions guiding internal party nominations, insisting that no valid consensus can be reached without the involvement and consent of all aspirants.
“Legally, there can be no valid consensus without involving the aspirants who have obtained or completed their expression of interest and nomination forms,” he stated.
Pantami also cited the Electoral Act 2026, particularly Section 84 (2), which he said restricts political parties to only two lawful methods of candidate selection.
“Political parties are restricted to only two methods for selecting candidates in which coronation is not among them. The two methods are: Consensus, where all cleared aspirants provide written consent to step down; and Direct Primaries, where every registered party member has the right to vote directly for their preferred aspirant,” he said.
He maintained that the APC decision in Gombe was inconsistent with both legal provisions and party guidelines, as well as directives from the national leadership.
“The action is completely contrary to the provisions of the law, the directive of the National Party, and the instruction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” the statement added.
Despite his rejection of the process, Pantami urged his supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, while indicating a possible legal challenge and renewed push for direct primaries.
“We urge our supporters to get ready for direct primaries after addressing major challenges in the APC database in the state. Our legal team is also working on addressing the challenges and observations,” he said.
