2027: Gombe PDP governorship aspirant rejects Pantami

By Hajara Leman

A governorship aspirant of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Gombe State, Kamisu Mailantarki has faulted the process that led to emergence of former minister Isa Pantami as the party’s gubernatorial flagbearer in the 2027 election.

Mailantarki said this while reacting to the declaration of Pantami, an ex-Minister of Communition the PDP governorship candidate following a consensus arrangement.

Reacting to the development on Tuesday in Gombe, Mailantarki said the emergence of Pantami did not follow the process agreed by the aspirants and party leaders.

Mailantarki said he and the other aspirants he identified as Abdulkadir Saleh, Usman Aliyu and Monica Kaltho, completed the required procedures, including purchased of nomination forms, screening, and consultations with delegates ahead of the scheduled primary election.

According to him, the primary election was initially fixed for May 24 and later shifted to May 26 before report of Pantami’s entry into the party surfaced.

“Reports surfaced shortly before the exercise that Pantami had joined the PDP and was seeking the governorship ticket.

“I and other aspirants accepted Pantami into the party but expressed reservations about the timing of his entry into the race,” he said.

Mailartarki said the PDP leadership encouraged the aspirants to adopt a consensus arrangement to promote unity in the party.

“The aspirants agreed to support any candidate selected from among them in the interest of party cohesion,” he said.

Mailantarki, however, said that a separate process was conducted without the involvement of the other aspirants and major stakeholders.

“My position is not against any individual but centred on ensuring fairness and adherence to due process within the party,” he said.

Pantami had ditched the APC for the PDP, after he lost his bid to clinch its governorship ticket.

(NAN)