Isa Ali Pantami has been affirmed as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Gombe State ahead of the 2027 elections, citing widespread poverty and the need for inclusive governance as key reasons for his political ambition.
Pantami made the remarks on Tuesday shortly after emerging as the party’s sole candidate during the PDP governorship affirmation exercise in the state.
Announcing the results, Chairman of the PDP Gombe Electoral Panel, Gregory Yenlong, declared Pantami the winner with a total of 52,955 votes across the three senatorial districts.
In his acceptance speech, Pantami said his decision to contest was driven by a desire to address hardship in the state rather than personal ambition.
“The acceptance is not about ambition, but rather about serving humanity. The acceptance is not about Isa, but about Gombe State,” he said.
He expressed concern over poverty levels in the state, citing figures from the National Multidimensional Poverty Index, which he said placed Gombe among the poorest states in Nigeria.
According to him, his administration would focus on lifting citizens out of poverty through investments in education, agriculture, and industrialisation, including the introduction of smart agriculture initiatives.
Pantami also pledged to attract foreign direct investment, strengthen public-private partnerships, and expand social welfare programmes aimed at supporting vulnerable residents.
He stressed the importance of unity across all local government areas in the state, calling for equal treatment of citizens regardless of geographic or ethnic differences.
“There is no discrimination or any difference between the people of Balanga, Billiri, Kaltungo and Shongom, and the people of Gombe, Funakaye, Dukku, Deba and Nafada,” he said.
Pantami added that diversity should be seen as a strength and a tool for development rather than division.
He also highlighted past development projects in Gombe during previous PDP administrations, including universities, infrastructure projects, and public utilities, as evidence of the party’s governance record.
His emergence as PDP candidate comes days after he withdrew from the All Progressives Congress governorship primary in the state, marking a significant shift in his political trajectory ahead of 2027.
