The Intersection of Faith, Service, and Leadership: Why Gombe Needs Professor Isa Ali Pantami? –By Muhammad Bashir Abdulhafiz

Politics in Nigeria has long been a playground where empty promises often drown out genuine service. But every now and then, a figure emerges whose record speaks louder than slogans. Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, a Islamic scholar, professor of cybersecurity, former Director-General of NITDA, and former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy is such a figure. Today, as he pursues the governorship of Gombe State, we must examine not just his ambition, but the substance behind it. And that substance, I believe, makes a compelling case for his leadership.

Born in 1972 in the Pantami area of Gombe, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami’s journey began in a traditional Tsangaya school, where he memorized the Qur’an before transitioning to formal education. This dual foundation rooted in Islamic scholarship and modern academia has shaped everything he has done since. He holds a PhD in Computing and Information Systems from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK, and has taught at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and the Islamic University of Madinah, where he became the first Nigerian to teach in over sixty-three years.

For over two decades, Pantami has served as an imam, leading prayers in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. He remains the chief imam of Al-Mannar Mosque in Abuja, where he continues to lead annual Tafsir teachings during Ramadan. He has authored more than twelve books and numerous articles, spanning technology, religion, and governance. He is a fellow of both the British Computer Society and the Nigeria Computer Society, a professor of cybersecurity, and the first African to become a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Information Security. This is not a man who stumbled into politics, this is a man who brings decades of intellectual rigor, moral grounding, and practical leadership to the table.

From 2019 to 2023, as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Pantami did not simply occupy office, but he transformed it. Under his leadership, the NIN-SIM linkage policy was introduced to curb criminal activities, particularly kidnapping, and to strengthen national security. He personally pushed for the development of this policy, prioritizing security institutions even when it was not among his original mandates. The policy achieved over 100 million citizens enrolled in the national database, a monumental milestone in national identity management.

Beyond security, Pantami expanded digital infrastructure nationwide. His ministry commissioned Tertiary Institution Knowledge Centers, School Knowledge Centers, and Digital Economy Centers across multiple states. He drove the development of ICT policies for states including Abia, Bayelsa, Benu, Ebonyi, Enugu, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, Oyo, Osun, Plateau, Sokoto, and Yobe. He pushed for the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Bill to introduce a licensing regime for IT operators and empower the agency to regulate the digital economy.

But perhaps what is most striking is his ability to deliver tangible results for his home state while serving at the federal level. In April 2026, Pantami unveiled a compendium documenting over 241 transformative legacy projects executed in Gombe State, spanning his tenure as NITDA Director-General and as Minister. These projects include the NCC North-East Zonal Office, the NITDA Zonal Office, the Galaxy Backbone Limited North-East Zonal Office, the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited Zonal Office, and a Digital Economy Centre at Gombe State Federal Polytechnic, Kaltungo. Beyond infrastructure, he facilitated over 700 employments and appointments across federal government establishments for indigenes of Gombe State.

When we speak of a politician who has already served his people, we are not speculating. We are citing an audited record. What sets Pantami apart from the typical Nigerian politician is his moral compass. As an Islamic scholar who has led prayers for over twenty years, he understands that leadership is a trust from God, not a license for self-enrichment. He has publicly stated that his record in public service remains untainted by any corruption allegation. In a country where public office is often treated as a personal ATM, that is no small claim.

Pantami has publicly hinted at contesting the Gombe gubernatorial election in 2027, citing the persistent calls from close associates and the people of Gombe. He initially resisted the idea ‘100 percent’ before his reluctance began to fade, guided by what he described as divine direction. His vision for Gombe is built on four pillars: human empowerment, human development, industrialization, and attracting foreign direct investment.

However, his ambition has not come without controversy. In April 2026, the Gombe State APC leadership announced a consensus arrangement that selected Dr. Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna as the party’s governorship candidate. Pantami has vehemently rejected this arrangement, describing it as an injustice and vowing to challenge it legally. In an interview with BBC Hausa, he declared: ‘I will challenge this injustice of Gombe APC governorship consensus even if I lose my life doing it. If it’s direct primary, everybody knows, we will win’.

The Muslim Rights Concern has backed Pantami, describing the consensus as ‘lopsided’ and a ‘kangaroo arrangement’, noting that not all aspirants were involved, the incumbent governor hails from the same ward as the consensus candidate, and that direct primaries are the only democratic option when even one aspirant refuses to step down. Governor Inuwa Yahaya has denied pressuring Pantami to drop his ambition, but the fact remains that a transparent, lawful, and fair process, whether through consensus or direct primary is the only path to democratic legitimacy.

Pantami’s demand for direct primaries is not about entitlement, it is about principle. Those who fear direct primaries, he argues, lack grassroots support. And given his record over 241 projects delivered, 700 jobs facilitated, and a national reputation for competence. it is hard to argue against his claim that he has the people’s backing. Gombe State stands at a crossroads. The outgoing governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, is completing his constitutionally allowed two terms. The question facing the people of Gombe is not merely who will succeed him, but what kind of leadership will define the next four to eight years.

Pantami offers something rare: a blend of grassroots understanding, national experience, international exposure, and moral integrity. He has already demonstrated that he can attract federal projects to Gombe, create employment for its indigenes, and drive digital transformation that positions the state for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He has also shown that he understands the security challenges facing the North-East, and that he has the capacity and willingness to collaborate with federal security agencies to address them.

Moreover, his Islamic scholarship is not a liability, it is an asset. In a region where religious identity is deeply significant, a governor who is also a respected Islamic scholar brings a unique ability to foster peace, reconciliation, and moral governance. He has demonstrated this by calling for unity across religious lines, staffing his team with people from different faiths, and publicly correcting divisive rhetoric from his own aides.

As a young Nigerian who loves his country and believes that good governance is possible, I am calling on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress nationally and in Gombe State, to ensure that the 2027 gubernatorial primary is free, fair, and transparent. Let there be direct primaries if that is what the law and the party’s constitution require. Let the aspirant with the strongest record, the widest grassroots support, and the clearest vision earn the ticket. Do not allow the backroom machinations of a few to disenfranchise a candidate who has served this nation and this state with distinction.

And to the people of Gombe: look beyond the slogans. Look beyond the party loyalties and the primordial sentiments. Look at the man. Look at his record. Look at his character. And ask yourselves: who among the aspirants has already demonstrated the capacity to govern, the integrity to lead, and the vision to transform Gombe into a model of digital and human development? Professor Isa Ali Pantami has answered those questions with twenty years of scholarship, four years of ministerial excellence, and a lifetime of moral leadership. Give him a fair chance to serve.

‘We are now in an era driven by technology, particularly artificial intelligence. I strongly believe that there is a technological solution to every challenge Nigeria is facing from insecurity to unemployment’, Pantami declared at the unveiling of his 241 project compendium. Those are not the words of a typical politician making empty promises. Those are the words of a scholar, a servant, and a patriot who has already proven what he can do.

It is time to let him do it for Gombe.

Muhammad Bashir Abdulhafiz wrote from Jos, and can be reached via abdulhafizmuhammad81@gmail.com instantly.