Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, and former Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, have both dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) following controversies surrounding governorship primaries in their states.
Pantami officially joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and secured the party’s governorship ticket in Gombe State during a primary election held on Tuesday.
He emerged as the sole aspirant after party delegates adopted him through voice affirmation.
The former minister was declared winner by the chairman of the PDP electoral panel, Gregory Yenlong, shortly after the exercise in Gombe.
Speaking after clinching the ticket, Pantami said his ambition was driven by his desire to serve the people of Gombe State. He also promised to run an administration built on fairness and justice if elected governor in 2027.
Pantami is expected to face Jamilu Gwamna, who earlier emerged as the APC governorship candidate in the state.
Before leaving the APC, Pantami had opposed the process that produced Gwamna as the party’s consensus candidate. He had insisted on a direct primary election but later withdrew from the race on the eve of the exercise, citing concerns over lack of openness in the process.
His defection to the PDP later created tension within the opposition party as four governorship aspirants protested against plans to allow him contest under the PDP platform after participating in the APC process.
The aggrieved aspirants, including Abdulkadir Hamma Saleh, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, Usman Aliyu Garry and Monica Kaltho, argued that it was wrong for someone involved in another party’s primary to switch parties and seek participation in the same election cycle.
Despite the objections, PDP stakeholders in Gombe eventually picked Pantami as the party’s governorship flag bearer for the 2027 election.
In a related development, former Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu also announced his resignation from the APC after losing the party’s governorship primary in Nasarawa State to Senator Aliyu Wadada.
Adamu submitted his resignation letter to APC executives in Makama ward, Lafia, on Monday.
The former police boss blamed his decision on the conduct of the governorship primary election in Nasarawa State. According to him, the process failed to reflect fairness, equal opportunity and proper internal democratic practices expected in a political party.
He said the outcome of the primary and the events surrounding it weakened his confidence in the leadership and processes of the party in the state.
Adamu explained that his decision followed consultations with supporters, political associates and family members. He added that he would continue pursuing his political ambition through another platform.
He, however, thanked APC members at the ward, local government and state levels for their support and cooperation during his time in the ruling party.
