By Yunusa Isa, Gombe
A fresh wave of tension has gripped the Gombe State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as four gubernatorial aspirants have moved to block the reported bid of Prof. Isa Ali Pantami to join the party’s race mid-stream.
The aspirants, during a press conference in Gombe, expressed firm opposition to the rumored defection of Prof. Pantami in search for gubernatorial ticket, who only days ago participated in the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries held on May 21.
The aspirants Alhaji Abdulkadir Hamma Saleh, Hon. Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, Usman Aliyu Garry, and Monica Kaltho, declared that they have already committed to a consensus arrangement under the guidance of party leader and former Governor, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo.
In a display of internal cohesion, the aspirants stated they have collectively agreed to allow the party hierarchy—including the State Executive Committee, the 11 Local Government Chairmen, and the Elders Committee—to select a flag bearer from among their ranks.
They emphasized that this agreement was formally documented and signed to ensure party discipline.
The aspirants slammed the alleged move to bring the former APC contestant into the PDP primaries, labeling it both undemocratic and legally untenable.
“The law does not permit a candidate to defect from one political party to another and subsequently contest the same election process after votes have already been cast and counted in his favour in another party’s primaries,” they declared.
The group cautioned that allowing such a maneuver would not only undermine the spirit of the ongoing PDP primaries, which are currently underway across the federation, but would also leave the party vulnerable to significant legal exposure.
Addressing the party’s top brass, the aspirants urged the leadership to remain “properly guided” and avoid any course of action that could invite litigation or provoke backlash from members and the opposition.
The statement continued; “We strongly object to any attempt to involve such a person in the ongoing PDP gubernatorial primaries, which have already reached an advanced stage,”
While the aspirants noted that they welcome new members into the PDP, they maintained that the inclusion of an individual who recently sought a ticket under the APC banner is a red line they are unwilling to cross, citing the need to uphold the rule of law and the sanctity of the electoral process.