By Our Political Reporter

A prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Hamma Saleh, has felicitated with Muslims across the state while also expressing strong opposition to what he described as the alleged imposition of Dr. Isa Ali Pantami as the party’s governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a statement made available to journalists, Hamma Saleh called on his supporters and political associates across the state to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding despite growing tensions surrounding the party’s internal affairs.

According to him, the principles of justice, fairness, and due process must be respected within the PDP, stressing that no individual should be imposed on party members against their collective will.

He stated that every loyal party stakeholder deserves equal opportunity and fair participation in the democratic process, adding that attempts to sideline aspirants or manipulate the process could threaten unity within the party.

“Justice must prevail. Democracy is built on fairness, consultation, and respect for the wishes of party members,” he reportedly said.

Hamma Saleh further assured his supporters that he would challenge any action capable of undermining internal democracy within the PDP in the state, insisting that the party must remain committed to transparency and credible leadership selection.

The PDP stalwart also used the opportunity to extend warm greetings to Muslims in Gombe State, urging them to continue praying for peace, unity, and progress in the state and the country at large.

He appealed to party supporters not to engage in violence or acts capable of disrupting public peace, emphasizing that political disagreements should always be handled through legitimate and democratic means.

Political observers believe the development may signal fresh political tension within the PDP in Gombe State as preparations gradually begin ahead of the 2027 governorship race.

The party leadership in the state is yet to officially react to the allegations surrounding the reported endorsement or imposition of any governorship candidate.

By Our Political Reporter

Governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State have cautioned the party leadership against what they described as an alleged attempt to “smuggle” former APC governorship aspirant, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, into the party’s ongoing governorship primary process ahead of the 2027 elections.

The aspirants, in a communiqué issued on Sunday, argued that Prof. Pantami, who participated in the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held on May 21, 2026, could not lawfully defect to the PDP and contest another governorship primary within the same election cycle.

The communiqué was jointly signed by Alhaji Abdulkadir Hamma Saleh, Hon. Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, Usman Aliyu Garry, and Monica Kaltho.

The development comes days after Prof. Pantami announced his withdrawal from the APC governorship primary, citing alleged irregularities in the conduct of the exercise.

The PDP aspirants disclosed that, in the interest of party unity and cohesion, they had unanimously agreed to allow the leadership of the party in Gombe State to select a consensus candidate among them for the 2027 governorship election.

According to the communiqué, the decision was taken “in respect and deference to the leadership of our great party,” particularly the PDP leader in the state, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, alongside members of the State Executive Committee, the 11 Local Government Chairmen, and the Elders Committee.

The aspirants stated that they had already signed a written undertaking pledging to abide by the final decision of the party leadership regarding the emergence of a consensus candidate.

“We therefore condemn in the strongest terms the alleged attempt to smuggle into the PDP primaries an aspirant who, by law and established democratic principles, is ineligible to participate, having already contested in the APC governorship primaries held on 21st May, 2026,” the communiqué read.

They further argued that the law does not permit a candidate to defect from one political party to another and subsequently participate in the same election process after votes had already been cast and counted in another party’s primary election.

While affirming that the PDP remains open to welcoming new members, the aspirants maintained that such individuals should not be allowed to join a primary process already at an advanced stage.

“We strongly object to any attempt to involve such a person in the ongoing PDP gubernatorial primaries,” they stated.

The aspirants also warned the party leadership against taking actions capable of exposing the PDP to avoidable legal disputes and internal crisis.

“We therefore call on the leadership of the party to be properly guided and to desist from promoting any action capable of undermining the rule of law or exposing the party to avoidable litigation,” the communiqué added.

They warned that any violation of due process could trigger serious legal challenges from aggrieved party members and even opposition parties.

The statement concluded with a cautionary note, saying, “As the saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine.”

By Our Political Reporter

The political landscape of Gombe North Senatorial District has taken a dramatic turn following the emergence of Hon. Mustapha Aliyu as the winner of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) primary election ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Hon. Aliyu secured the party’s ticket amid growing interest in the senatorial race, positioning himself for what is expected to be a highly competitive contest involving some of the state’s most influential political figures.

In his acceptance speech after the primaries, Aliyu declared confidence in his ability to defeat two major contenders—former Governor and current Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, who is expected to represent the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the race.

He described his emergence as a mandate to offer credible leadership and pledged to bring what he called the “dividends of democracy” to the people of Gombe North if elected in 2027.

According to him, his campaign will focus on improving governance, strengthening democratic participation, and addressing the socio-economic challenges facing communities across the senatorial district.

Political observers say the development signals an early build-up to one of the most closely watched senatorial contests in Gombe State, as heavyweight candidates from the three major parties prepare for a fierce electoral showdown.

With his emergence, Hon. Mustapha Aliyu has officially entered a high-stakes political battle that is expected to shape the future political direction of Gombe North ahead of the 2027 elections.