MURIC Protests Pantami's Exclusion from Gombe Guber Race

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) condemned the exclusion of Prof. Ibrahim Isa Ali Pantami from the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) list of governorship candidates for Gombe State, labeling it an act of impunity and contempt of court. Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the founder and executive director of MURIC, alleged that INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan was responsible for this omission, which they described as religiously motivated.

Pantami had won a fresh primary on September 29, 2026, with 2,054 votes, significantly ahead of his opponents. MURIC pointed out that INEC monitored this primary and questioned the commission's rationale for disowning the results.

They also highlighted the presence of Christian clerics serving as state governors, arguing that an Islamic scholar should not face barriers to contesting for the same office. MURIC passed a vote of no confidence in Amupitan and urged President Tinubu to appoint a more neutral replacement.