Court Reserves Judgment On Pantami’s PDP Candidacy For Gombe 2027

The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe has reserved judgment in the suit filed by Usman Aliyu Garry challenging the emergence of Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election.

Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed fixed no date for the judgment but said parties would be notified when it is ready.

LEADERSHIP learns that at Friday’s proceedings, counsel to the PDP, Barrister S. M. Yusuf, told the court that he had regularised his motion through an oral application before adopting all processes contained in the further affidavit supporting the application.

He urged the court to strike out the suit, arguing that it was incompetent under Section 115 of the Evidence Act.

Counsel to Prof. Pantami, Barrister Tunde Falola, also adopted his preliminary objection and supporting motion, backed by a six-paragraph affidavit sworn to by Shuaibu Usman Gwani.

Falola asked the court to dismiss the suit for lacking merit, contending that documents before the court established that Pantami resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on May 19, 2026, before participating in the PDP governorship primary.

Responding, counsel to the plaintiff, Eko Ejembi Eko, SAN, said his client had filed a counter-affidavit, responses to the defendants’ preliminary objections, a further affidavit and documentary exhibits challenging the applications.

He urged the court to dismiss the preliminary objections filed by the PDP, Prof. Pantami and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that the suit was competent and deserved to be heard on its merits.

The senior advocate also adopted all affidavits, documentary exhibits and written addresses filed on behalf of the plaintiff and asked the court to award costs against the defendants.

After listening to arguments from counsel to all the parties, Justice Mohammed reserved judgment, saying the date for its delivery would be communicated to the parties.