Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, has secured the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 election in Gombe State, pledging to tackle poverty and pursue what he described as “inclusive leadership”.
Pantami was affirmed unopposed during the party’s governorship selection process held on Tuesday, emerging as the sole aspirant for the ticket.
Announcing the results, Chairman of the PDP Gombe Electoral Panel, Gregory Yenlong, said Pantami secured a total of 52,955 votes across the state’s three senatorial districts. He polled 16,781 votes in Gombe North, 12,752 in Gombe Central and 23,422 in Gombe South.
Speaking shortly after his affirmation, Pantami said his decision to join the race was driven by the worsening economic realities facing residents of the state rather than personal ambition.
“This is not about ambition, but about serving humanity. It is not about Isa, but about Gombe State,” he said.
“There is no discrimination. We want our diversity to become our strength, not our weakness.”
Pantami painted a grim picture of living conditions in the northeastern state, describing poverty as one of Gombe’s most pressing challenges.
“Gombe is the third poorest state in Nigeria, with a poverty index of about 74.5 percent. This means many of our people are living in extreme poverty,” he said.
He said his administration, if elected, would prioritise education, agriculture and industrialisation, with plans to introduce smart farming initiatives and attract foreign direct investment to boost economic opportunities.
“Our goal is to lift people out of poverty through education and agriculture, particularly by embracing smart agriculture,” Pantami added.
“In the area of industrialisation, we intend to attract foreign direct investment for the benefit of our people.”
