Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Gombe State in the 2027 election after winning the party’s fresh primary conducted on Tuesday.

Pantami polled 817 votes to defeat two other aspirants, Khamisu Mailantarki, who scored 153 votes, and Aliyu Usman Garry, who secured 50 votes.

The fresh primary was held across the 11 local government areas of the state following a court order nullifying Pantami’s earlier emergence as the party’s candidate.

The Federal High Court in Gombe, presided over by Justice Amina Mohammed, had ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary in accordance with its constitution, guidelines and relevant electoral laws.

The order followed a suit filed by Garry, who challenged the process through which Pantami emerged as the party’s candidate.

Pantami had earlier withdrawn from the APC governorship primary scheduled for May 21, citing alleged breaches of the electoral process. He subsequently joined the PDP and emerged as its candidate for the 2027 Gombe governorship election.