Gombe 2027: When Party Primaries and Court Rulings Raise Questions About Democracy -By Abdulsamad Danji Abdulqadir

We are beginning to witness what people mean when they describe politics as a do-or-die affair and a dirty game. The unfolding political developments in Gombe State ahead of the 2027 general elections raise serious questions about internal party democracy, the rule of law, and the fate of political aspirants.

What exactly is happening in Gombe State? Why are political ambitions repeatedly becoming entangled in disputes over party primaries, court judgments, eligibility and the final list of candidates? These are questions that deserve answers.

Let us begin with Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami and his ambition to become the next governor of Gombe State.

After failing to secure the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pantami defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he contested the party’s governorship primary and emerged as its candidate.

However, his emergence was challenged in court by fellow PDP aspirants over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the primary. The Federal High Court in Gombe subsequently nullified the initial primary and ordered the party to conduct a fresh exercise.

Pantami participated in the rerun primary and won again. Yet, despite this victory, another major development followed: his name was reportedly missing from INEC’s final list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election.

This raises a fundamental question: how can an aspirant win a party’s primary election and still be excluded from the final list of candidates?

Is winning a primary enough, or must aspirants and their political parties satisfy additional legal requirements before their nominations can be recognised? What precisely informed INEC’s decision, and what legal options remain available to the affected candidate?

These questions deserve clear and verifiable answers.

But Pantami’s case is not the only development attracting attention in Gombe State.

Consider the case of Hon. Bashir Abdullahi Gaddafi, the member representing Akko Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. Reports indicate that a court nullified his emergence as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate and ordered the party to conduct a fresh primary.

Similarly, Hon. Ali Isa J.C., a member of the House of Representatives representing Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency, was affected by a court ruling nullifying his APC nomination and ordering a fresh primary. The court’s decision reportedly concerned his exclusion from the party’s membership register submitted to INEC within the legally prescribed period.

These developments raise another important question: why are so many political ambitions in Gombe State becoming entangled in disputes over party nominations, membership registers and the conduct of primaries?

When we put these cases alongside Pantami’s governorship ambition, the broader discussion about internal party democracy becomes even more important.

We must also remember Banjumo Goji, whose reported failure to secure the APC senatorial ticket for Gombe Central raises further questions about the opportunities available to aspirants within political parties.

Although these cases involve different parties, offices and legal circumstances, they point to a common issue that deserves public scrutiny: the importance of transparent nomination procedures and strict compliance with electoral laws.

The situation leaves citizens wondering whether political parties are doing enough to ensure that their internal processes are credible from the beginning. Are aspirants adequately informed about the requirements for eligibility? Are party officials following the rules consistently? And when disputes arise, are the reasons for the resulting decisions being communicated clearly to the public?

It is important to emphasise that court judgments do not automatically establish that political opponents conspired against an aspirant. Each case has its own facts, legal arguments and circumstances. Nevertheless, the frequency of these disputes makes it reasonable for citizens to demand explanations and greater transparency.

Politics should not be reduced to a struggle in which aspirants spend more time battling over nomination procedures and court cases than explaining their programmes to the people.

Political parties have a responsibility to conduct credible primaries, maintain accurate membership records and comply with electoral laws. Aspirants, in turn, must satisfy the legal requirements for nomination. INEC must apply the law fairly, while the courts must resolve disputes according to the evidence and applicable legislation.

Ultimately, democracy is not simply about who wins a party ticket. It is also about whether the process leading to that victory is lawful, transparent and credible.

As the 2027 general elections approach, the people of Gombe State deserve answers.

Who determines the fate of an aspirant: party leaders, the courts, or the electoral commission? What happens when a candidate wins a primary but fails to appear on the final list? And what safeguards exist to ensure that every eligible aspirant receives a fair opportunity to participate?

These are not questions that should be dismissed as mere political complaints. They concern the integrity of the electoral process and the confidence citizens place in democracy.

If politics is truly about service to the people, then the process of selecting those who seek to govern them must be transparent enough for the people to understand.

Gombe State deserves answers, accountability and a political process governed by clear rules rather than uncertainty.