Judicial proceedings commence in lawsuits related to Gombe State PDP gubernatorial primaries

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The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe on Friday commenced hearing in separate pre-election suits challenging the emergence of Prof Isa Pantami as the People’s Democratic Party governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Gombe State.

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Justice Amina-Aliyu Mohammed, who presided over the proceedings, adjourned both suits until July 9 after counsel to the respondents sought more time to file their responses.

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The suits were instituted by two PDP governorship aspirants, Khamis Mailantarki and Alhaji Hamma-Sale Abdulkadir, who are separately contesting Pantami’s nomination.

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The plaintiffs joined the PDP, Pantami and the Independent National Electoral Commission as respondents.

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They are asking the court to nullify Pantami’s nomination, alleging that he emerged as the party’s candidate without a valid primary election or a lawful consensus process.

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The plaintiffs further contended that Pantami neither purchased the PDP nomination form nor participated in the party’s screening for governorship aspirants.

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They also alleged that Pantami was pursuing the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress during the same period and was not a member of the PDP on the day the party allegedly adopted him through a consensus arrangement.

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The suits are being prosecuted by B.A. Jatau, counsel for Mailantarki, and S.A. Mustapha, representing Abdulkadir.

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The respondents are represented by Mr Benjamin Sati, Ibrahim Attahir, E.O. Akawu, and counsel for INEC, Mr Ayuba Peter.

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At the commencement of proceedings, Peter told the court that the respondents had only recently been briefed and required time to prepare their defence.

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“We have just been briefed by our clients and respectfully seek time to prepare and file our counter-affidavits,” he said.

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Justice Mohammed granted the application and adjourned the matters till July 9 for further hearing.

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Although the plaintiffs were absent from the proceedings, some of the respondents, including Adamu Haruna, Hassan Mohammed Hassan, and Dr Saidu Mohammed, were present in court.

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