Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate for Gombe State, has officially opened his 2027 governorship campaign in Gombe.

The launch took place on Wednesday in the state capital, drawing a large crowd of supporters, party members and well wishers. A video from the event showed a massive turnout of people who thronged the streets to welcome the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy as he formally began his quest for the governorship seat.

The campaign launch marks a major step in Pantami’s long and eventful journey to the 2027 election. Pantami, who served as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy under former President Muhammadu Buhari, left the All Progressives Congress governorship primary in May 2026 after the party adopted Jamilu Gwamna as its consensus candidate.

Days later, on May 26, he emerged as the PDP governorship candidate through voice affirmation at a primary organised by the party. His emergence immediately set the stage for a closely watched contest in Gombe.

His candidacy has, however, faced a series of legal battles. The May 26 primary was challenged by fellow aspirants Usman Aliyu Garry and Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, who questioned the process that produced Pantami. On September 24, 2026, the Federal High Court in Gombe nullified the initial primary and directed the PDP to conduct a fresh exercise within 30 days, in compliance with its constitution, guidelines and relevant electoral laws. The court found that the first exercise had failed to comply with party procedures and applicable electoral requirements.

Following the judgment, the PDP conducted a fresh governorship primary across the 11 local government areas of Gombe State on September 29. Pantami won the rerun with 2,054 votes, defeating Mailantarki, who scored 389 votes, and Garry, who secured 112 votes.

The results were announced by Johnbull Shekarau, chairman of the PDP Governorship Primary Rerun Committee. The fresh victory strengthened Pantami’s position within the party, even as legal questions continued to trail his candidacy.

The drama continued when the Independent National Electoral Commission published its final list of governorship candidates on October 10 and omitted Pantami’s name from the Gombe State list. The omission prompted his legal team and the PDP to demand that the commission restore his name.

After reviewing petitions from political parties and candidates, INEC on October 29 approved his petition and included his name in the updated list. The commission, however, noted that his inclusion remained subject to the outcome of pending court cases.

With his name now on the INEC list, the PDP announced preparations for a mega rally in Gombe in honour of Pantami. The rally, which also served as the official opening of his campaign, was seen by supporters as a celebration of his resilience through months of legal and political challenges. Party leaders say the massive turnout is a sign of growing support for Pantami across the state, while the APC has dismissed the rally, insisting that the legal disputes surrounding his candidacy are yet to be fully resolved.

As the campaign officially begins, Pantami is expected to take his message to communities across Gombe State, with a focus on development, education, technology, healthcare and security. His supporters believe his experience as a former minister and his background in technology and public service give him an edge in the race. His main rival is Jamilu Gwamna of the APC, who will anchor his campaign on the achievements of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya. With the governorship election scheduled for February 6, 2027, the race in Gombe is set to be one of the most closely watched in the country.