By Musa Garba

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released its final list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election, with the name of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, missing from the list.

The development raises fresh questions about Pantami’s participation in the governorship race, following the legal disputes surrounding his emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.

Pantami had emerged as the PDP governorship candidate after a fresh primary election conducted on September 29, 2026, following a court order nullifying an earlier exercise.

His emergence, however, has remained contentious, with other aspirants challenging aspects of the primary process and his participation in the contest.

INEC’s final list is expected to provide clarity on the candidates cleared to contest the governorship election in the state. Pantami’s omission could further complicate his political ambition, depending on the reasons for his exclusion and any subsequent legal or administrative developments.

As of the release of the list, the specific reason for Pantami’s omission was not immediately clear.

The development is likely to attract further attention in Gombe’s political circles as parties and aspirants prepare for the 2027 governorship election.

By Jamila Muhammad

Ambassador Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, a co-convener of the Nigeria Forward Project, has urged ministers, presidential aides and heads of federal government agencies from Northern Nigeria to intensify grassroots mobilisation and communicate President Bola Tinubu’s achievements to citizens ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Waiya said the appointees should move beyond Abuja and engage directly with people in their communities, explaining how the administration’s policies and reforms are improving lives and why the government deserves another term.

He made the call in a statement sent to journalists on Friday, stressing that those appointed by the president had a responsibility to bridge the gap between the government and ordinary Nigerians by providing credible information about its performance.

“There are moments in the life of a nation when those entrusted with public responsibility must rise, speak with conviction and give citizens reasons to believe that tomorrow can be better than today,” he said.

Waiya noted that some heads of federal government agencies had already begun mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election, describing themselves as “foot soldiers of the Renewed Hope Agenda”.

He also cited a recent grassroots mobilisation campaign reportedly led by Senator George Akume, which brought together political leaders from the North-Central region to rally support for Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Nigeria Forward Project co-convener argued that promoting the administration’s achievements should not be reduced to routine political campaigning but should provide an opportunity to explain the practical impact of government policies on citizens.

He said Northern appointees should be better positioned to communicate the administration’s reforms, present verifiable results and demonstrate how its policies were creating opportunities, strengthening institutions, improving infrastructure and repositioning the Nigerian economy.

According to him, the engagement must extend to markets, farms, businesses, universities and rural communities, where citizens can assess government policies against their daily experiences.

Waiya stressed that the concerns and expectations of Nigerians must remain central to the campaign for another term, noting that voters would ultimately decide based on their experiences and understanding of the administration’s performance.

“The 2027 elections will ultimately belong to Nigerians. They will judge the administration by what they have seen, experienced and understood,” he said.

He urged the appointees not only to advocate continuity but also to explain why it matters, defend the government’s record with evidence and clearly communicate its plans for the country.

Waiya said the period ahead of the elections offered an opportunity for the administration’s representatives to strengthen public confidence through sustained engagement and transparent communication.

“This is the time to take the Renewed Hope message, its achievements and vision to the people and convince Nigerians that the journey deserves another mandate,” he said.

He added that the administration needed to make its message tangible to citizens rather than allowing it to remain a political slogan.

“Renewed Hope must not remain a government slogan. It must become a story Nigerians can see and feel,” Waiya said.

By Jamila Muhammad

Some supporters of Senator Muhammadu Danjuma Goje in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State have rejected an endorsement of two ADC candidates by a group claiming to represent the senator’s support base.

The disagreement followed a meeting where some individuals identified as supporters of Mr Goje endorsed Barrister Idris Abdullahi, the ADC senatorial candidate, and Dr Bashir Abdullahi Gaddafi, the party’s candidate for Akko Federal Constituency.

But another group of supporters has distanced itself from the endorsement, saying the meeting represented only a section of Mr Goje’s supporters and should not be interpreted as the collective position of his support base in Akko.

Speaking on behalf of the group after a meeting, Barrister Saidu Muazu Kumo reaffirmed their loyalty to Senator Goje but said such loyalty should not be interpreted as automatic support for every political decision or candidate associated with people operating within the senator’s support structure.

Mr Kumo said the group was particularly concerned about attempts to portray the endorsement of the two ADC candidates as a unanimous decision of Senator Goje’s supporters in the local government.

“We are with Senator Muhammadu Danjuma Goje, but we cannot accept the imposition of candidates whom we believe do not possess the character, discipline and proper upbringing expected of someone seeking to represent the people,” he said.

He argued that political loyalty should not prevent supporters from expressing independent views or disagreeing with decisions they consider contrary to their interests.

According to him, supporters should be allowed to assess candidates based on their character, conduct, credibility and capacity to represent their constituents.

The group also said the endorsement of Mr Idris Abdullahi and Dr Gaddafi should not be presented as a unanimous decision by Senator Goje’s supporters in Akko.

Mr Kumo urged political stakeholders and members of the public to distinguish between the actions of individual supporters and the broader position of the senator’s support base.

He said doing so would help prevent what he described as a misleading impression that all Goje supporters in Akko had agreed on the endorsement.

The group also appealed for restraint and political maturity, urging supporters of Senator Goje to resolve their differences through dialogue and democratic engagement.

Mr Kumo said disagreements within a political support structure should not lead to confrontation, adding that no individual should claim to speak for an entire support base without broad consultation.

The group reaffirmed its loyalty to Senator Goje, while maintaining that its position on the ADC candidates was an independent political decision.

It said supporting Senator Goje remained separate from the question of which candidates individual supporters would back in the forthcoming elections.