Mailantarki Declares Victory in Gombe PDP Primary Challenge

Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, an aspirant for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, has declared himself the winner of the party's primary election held on September 29, 2026. This declaration comes after the official results named Prof Isa Ali Pantami as the winner.

Mailantarki rejects these results, arguing that Pantami is legally ineligible to contest based on a prior court ruling. He asserts that he should be recognized as the winner since he came second and received legitimate votes.

Mailantarki also claims that Pantami was a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) during the initial screening for the original primary held on May 26. He is prepared to pursue legal action, including potentially reaching the Supreme Court, to reclaim his perceived rightful victory.

Additionally, fellow aspirant Usman Aliyu Garry has criticized the conduct of the primary, stating it lacked fairness due to Pantami's participation.