Fresh Controversy As Mailantarki Declares Self Winner Of Gombe PDP Rerun, Insists Pantami Not Eligible

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Gombe State, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, has declared himself a winner of the Tuesday’s rerun primary, insisting that Professor Isa Ali Pantami was not eligible to participate in the exercise.

Mailantarki, who came second in the results announced by the PDP Tuesday evening, said the votes credited to Pantami should be regarded as invalid because, according to him, the former communications minister did not meet the requirements for participation in the rerun.

LEADERSHIP has reported that the PDP conducted the fresh governorship primary following a September 24 judgment of the Federal High Court in Gombe which nullified the earlier process that produced Pantami as the party’s candidate and ordered a fresh primary.

At the end of the exercise, Pantami was declared winner with 2,555 votes, while Mailantarki polled 389 votes and Garry 112 votes.

However, addressing journalists after the announcement, Mailantarki said he considered himself the rightful winner, arguing that the contest should have been between himself and Garry because, in his interpretation of the court’s judgment and applicable party rules, only aspirants who met the relevant membership and clearance requirements should have participated.

“Our main challenge then was including him and it is because of his eligibility,” Mailantarki said, referring to Pantami.

He claimed that his lawyers had written to both the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the rerun, drawing their attention to what he described as the legal implications of allowing Pantami to participate.

According to him, Pantami’s previous participation in the APC governorship primary and the timing of his membership in the PDP raised questions over whether he satisfied the requirements to participate in the rerun.

Mailantarki also referred to the membership register and argued that Pantami’s name was not contained in the PDP register submitted to INEC within the period he said was required by law.

“I am the runner-up, the second in line in that election. And as far as the law is concerned, I have the valid vote. The contest is supposed to be held between myself and Aliyu Garry.”

“The election was fair, peaceful and well conducted. The only question here is the eligibility of one of us,” he said.

He therefore declared himself the winner on the basis that the votes credited to Pantami were, in his view, questionable.

The third contender, Usman Garry, had earlier expressed his dissatisfaction with the conduct of the exercise, alleging that voting did not take place as expected in his area.

In his account, he said he was not allowed to vote and that when he insisted that voting should take place, only five people supporting him were counted, after which he was told that he had received five votes.

Garry maintained that he had written to the PDP and INEC over Pantami’s participation, also arguing that the court order and applicable membership requirements limited participation in the contest.

He called on the party to review the process and ensure that what he described as “the right thing” is done.