Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has reacted to the omission of his name from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election, assuring supporters that efforts are underway to resolve the matter.

INEC released its final list of governorship candidates on Saturday, October 10, with Pantami, who is seeking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket, conspicuously absent.

The former minister resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in May before defecting to the PDP amid preparations for the forthcoming election.

In a statement circulated on his social media platforms and signed by Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe, Pantami’s camp described the omission as a temporary setback in the electoral process, urging supporters not to lose hope.

The development reportedly triggered concerns among PDP supporters and members of the Pantamiyya Movement in Gombe State and beyond.

The statement alleged that some individuals were working behind the scenes to frustrate what it described as the pursuit of responsible leadership in the state.

“We are aware of the people working behind the scenes to frustrate good and responsible leadership in Gombe State,” the statement said.

According to the camp, its legal and liaison teams are engaging with relevant organs of the PDP and INEC to address the omission and seek compliance with the court order referenced in the statement.

It expressed optimism that the issue would be resolved within the period permitted by law, while calling on supporters to remain calm and sustain their political mobilisation.

The statement further maintained that the omission should not be regarded as a final determination of Pantami’s political ambition.

It also reaffirmed the commitment of the PDP and the Pantamiyya Movement to their political aspirations in Gombe State, urging members to remain united despite the development.

“No distraction will derail our course, in sha Allah,” the statement added.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has resolved its disagreement over the composition of its presidential campaign council, agreeing to allow its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to select key officials for the campaign structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Under the arrangement, Obi and Kwankwaso will nominate candidates for five strategic positions: Director-General, Deputy Director-General for the North, Director of Finance, Deputy Director of Finance and Media Director.

The party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, disclosed this on Saturday during a press conference in Abuja, explaining that the decision followed consultations among the party’s leadership and the two presidential candidates.

The disagreement had reportedly involved the party and the OK Movement, a support group within its fold, over the selection of officials for the presidential campaign council.

Cleopas said the consultations had progressed significantly, adding that the party expected to unveil the council on November 20, provided there were no unforeseen complications.

He explained that the delay in constituting the council was deliberate, as the leadership wanted to ensure that the process was properly handled and that the resulting structure would effectively coordinate the party’s campaign.

According to him, the National Working Committee (NWC) had endorsed the arrangement, stressing that Obi and Kwankwaso must be involved in selecting the people who would lead their campaign.

“The constitution and inauguration of the presidential campaign council is a responsibility of the party at the highest level. But the party itself cannot do that without recourse to the presidential candidate and the vice-presidential candidate,” Cleopas said.

He maintained that getting the composition right was more important than rushing to announce appointments that might later create problems.

The NDC chairman also dismissed reports suggesting that the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, was not committed to the Obi-Kwankwaso presidential ticket.

Cleopas said Dickson had demonstrated his commitment to the party by declining to use his leadership position to emerge as its presidential candidate, adding that he remained invested in the ticket’s success.

He described Obi and Kwankwaso as a combination capable of attracting support across Nigeria’s religious, ethnic and regional divides.

The chairman also defended the party’s decision not to conduct a competitive presidential primary, insisting that its leadership had been clear about its preferred direction.

“We were clear on the direction we were going, and no regrets,” he said.

Cleopas further identified young Nigerians as a significant factor in the party’s confidence in its presidential ticket, citing voting demographic figures presented by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at a recent event.

He said the NDC was positioning itself as a political platform capable of mobilising younger voters while drawing on the experience of older political leaders.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has scheduled October 20 for the inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council as the party intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, announced the date on Saturday during a press briefing in Abuja, assuring Nigerians that the party remained united behind its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Cleopas said the inauguration would take place during a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which would also ratify key decisions concerning its preparations for the elections.

He disclosed that the party would present Certificates of Return to its candidates and organise a dinner to strengthen cooperation among members ahead of the polls.

According to the chairman, the planned inauguration demonstrates the party’s commitment to its electoral preparations, dismissing suggestions that the NDC was not ready for the 2027 elections.

“The propaganda that our party is not committed to the elections is definitely a sign of fear in the camp of the ruling party,” he said.

Cleopas explained that the party was taking time to carefully select members of the campaign council, stressing that the importance of the forthcoming election required individuals with the appropriate character and capacity.

“It is better to get it right. It is a sensitive election that we are going into. And we must check characters,” he added.

The NDC chairman also rejected claims that the party had been inactive since unveiling Obi and Kwankwaso as its presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

He said party leaders had continued to engage stakeholders through consultations and town hall meetings, citing recent visits to Sokoto and Kaduna.

Cleopas further announced that the party would visit Enugu on October 15 as part of its ongoing consultations ahead of the elections.

On the party’s presidential ticket, he maintained that the national leadership, including National Leader Seriake Dickson, the National Working Committee and the NEC, remained committed to Obi and Kwankwaso.

“Our presidential candidate and vice-presidential candidate today have the mandate of the party to lead us into political battle, on a rescue mission for this country,” he said.

He described the ticket as a representation of Nigeria’s religious, ethnic and generational diversity.

The chairman also vowed that the NDC would challenge any alleged attempts to manipulate the electoral process before, during and after the elections.

He said the party would remain vigilant throughout the electoral process and expressed confidence that its candidates would be inaugurated on May 29, 2027.

Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has cautioned against attempts by northern political interests to reclaim the presidency in 2027, warning that such a move could trigger renewed separatist agitations in southern Nigeria.

Sani argued that respecting the principle of power rotation was critical to national stability, noting that former President Muhammadu Buhari completed eight years in office before handing over to President Bola Tinubu in 2023.

The former lawmaker made the remarks during a media parley with journalists in Kaduna on Friday, amid political discussions over the distribution of power ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to Sani, allowing the South to complete its presidential tenure would give northern politicians an opportunity to pursue the presidency in 2031 without disrupting the existing power-sharing arrangement.

He warned that any attempt to reverse the arrangement could heighten political tensions and reignite separatist agitations in different parts of the country.

Sani referred to agitations in the South-East, South-West and South-South, arguing that expectations surrounding political inclusion and access to presidential power had influenced developments in the regions.

The former senator also accused some northern political leaders of inconsistency in their criticism of successive administrations over insecurity.

He alleged that some leaders who criticised former President Goodluck Jonathan over security challenges failed to maintain the same level of scrutiny during Buhari’s administration but had become vocal in their condemnation of Tinubu over similar concerns.

While insisting that Tinubu should be held accountable for the country’s security challenges, Sani said political leaders should apply the same standards irrespective of the administration in power.

He cited the abductions in Dapchi, Jangebe, Kankara and Yauri, alongside the attack on Greenfield University, as examples of security incidents that should be assessed without ethnic or partisan considerations.

On his political ambition, Sani disclosed that he was seeking a return to the Senate to represent Kaduna Central, a district he previously represented in the National Assembly.

He highlighted interventions he said he facilitated during his previous tenure, including primary healthcare centres, scholarships, educational assistance and women’s empowerment programmes.

Sani also criticised the immediate past Kaduna State administration, accusing it of suppressing dissent, dismissing workers and teachers, and demolishing residential properties.

He further called for the protection of Kaduna State’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious character, stressing that peaceful coexistence among its diverse communities remained essential to the state’s stability.

More than 30,000 teachers in Enugu State have endorsed Governor Peter Mbah for a second term in office and declared support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections, citing improved teachers’ welfare and increased investment in education.

The endorsement was announced at a rally organised by the Teachers for Grassroots Movement (TGM) at Okpara Square, Enugu, on Saturday.

More than 12,000 teachers reportedly participated in a procession through parts of the state capital before converging on the venue.

The teachers commended the Mbah administration for its interventions in the education sector, including the construction of Smart Green Schools, recruitment of teachers, regular payment of salaries, promotions and training opportunities.

They also praised Tinubu’s economic policies, with Mbah attributing the increased resources available to state governments for development projects to the President’s economic reforms.

Speaking at the rally, the Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Theophilus Odo, described Mbah as a governor who had demonstrated commitment to the welfare of teachers.

Odo recalled that Mbah had supported the domestication of harmonised retirement benefits for teachers before assuming office as governor.

He also commended the construction of more than 260 Smart Green Schools across the state’s 260 political wards, saying the initiative had improved learning conditions and positioned pupils to compete with their counterparts elsewhere.

According to him, the government’s recruitment of thousands of teachers, provision of professional development opportunities and prompt payment of salaries had helped address longstanding challenges in the sector.

“We are happy today because God has given us a caring governor, Peter Mbah,” Odo said.
He added that the teachers were endorsing Mbah for a second term, declaring that their votes would go to the governor.

Similarly, the Chairman of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) in Enugu State, Nelson Agu, said private school teachers had joined the rally to recognise the administration’s efforts to transform education.

Agu explained that the establishment of Smart Green Schools had encouraged private school operators to upgrade their facilities and improve educational standards.

He also praised the state government’s commitment to allocating 33 per cent of its budget to education for three consecutive years.

The Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Enugu State, Simeon Akaeme, said the Mbah administration had restored the dignity of teachers through investments in infrastructure and social services.

In her remarks, the Director-General of TGM, Dr. Nwakaego Aja, described education as a foundation for liberation, self-reliance and economic development.

Aja said the movement represented more than 30,000 teachers across the state and pledged their support for Mbah and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

She maintained that the governor had demonstrated a commitment to innovation and educational transformation, promising that teachers would take his achievements to communities, schools, markets and polling units.

“Our vote is for the All Progressives Congress from bottom to top,” she declared.

The Enugu State Commissioner for Education and patron of TGM, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah, described the endorsement as an indication of the support the governor and the President could attract ahead of the 2027 elections.

He thanked the teachers for supporting the administration’s education agenda, noting that the government had committed substantial resources to improving learning outcomes and expanding opportunities for children across the state.

Responding, Governor Mbah said the endorsement was significant because the success of his administration’s development agenda depended largely on the education sector and the teachers responsible for preparing future generations.

He said his administration’s ambition to position Enugu among Nigeria’s leading states in economic output, investment, business, living standards and tourism was closely linked to the transformation of education.

The governor highlighted ongoing investments, including the construction of more than 7,000 classrooms, the provision of 25,000 desktop computers and over 5,000 tablets, as well as free school feeding and uniforms.

Mbah said the government’s focus was not merely on providing infrastructure but on fundamentally transforming the state’s education system.

He expressed appreciation to teachers for their role in shaping the future of children and developing the human capital needed to drive the state’s growth.

The governor’s wife, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, represented by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, also commended the teachers for their endorsement, describing it as recognition of an administration that had placed education at the centre of its development agenda.

The rally was attended by government officials, political leaders, community representatives and other stakeholders.

The name of Professor Isa Ali Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Gombe State, is missing from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election.

The omission was confirmed in INEC documents released on Saturday, raising questions about Pantami’s status in the forthcoming governorship race.

Pantami, a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, is seeking to contest the Gombe governorship election on the platform of the PDP.

Detail shortly….

There was a courtroom disagreement on Thursday when Abia State lawmaker, Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, objected to the appearance of a lawyer representing him in an ongoing criminal case before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja.

The case, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), concerns allegations of forgery and other offences against the member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

The incident occurred when the matter came up before Justice Halilu Yusuf, with Ogah rejecting the appearance of Barrister V.C. Ifacho, who is from the chambers of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi (SAN).

Ogah reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the legal representation, arguing that the seriousness of the case warranted the appearance of a more senior lawyer.

The lawmaker also referred to the financial resources he had committed to his defence and questioned why a junior counsel had appeared on behalf of Agabi to handle a matter he considered sensitive.

During the exchange, Ogah reportedly made remarks about the level of influence he claimed to wield within Nigeria’s judicial and political circles.

The latest courtroom development comes amid ongoing proceedings in charge No. CR/650/2024, in which the Federal Government accused the lawmaker of offences relating to alleged false declaration, perjury and injurious falsehood involving Nkeiruka Chidubem Onyejeocha, a former Minister of State for Labour and Employment.

The prosecution’s case is linked to statements allegedly contained in an affidavit sworn to by Ogah in May 2023.

The case had earlier attracted attention following reports that the lawmaker was remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre pursuant to a court order.

Proceedings in the matter are ongoing, and the allegations against Ogah remain to be determined by the court.