Kamisu Mailantarki, a governorship aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, has rejected the party’s adoption of former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami as the party’s consensus candidate.
NPO Reported that Pantami was on Tuesday declared as the PDP governorship candidate barely 24 hours after dumping the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the PDP faction backed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
He was announced as the party’s gubernatorial flagbearer for the 2027 election.
Reacting to the development on Tuesday in Gombe, Mailantarki faulted the process that produced Pantami as the governorship candidate of the party.
He said the emergence of Pantami did not follow the process agreed by the aspirants and party leaders.
Mailantarki said the aspirants; Abdulkadir Saleh, Usman Aliyu and Monica Kaltho, completed the required procedures, including purchased of nomination forms, screening, and consultations with delegates ahead of the scheduled primary election.
He said the primary election was initially fixed for May 24 and later shifted to May 26.
“Reports surfaced shortly before the exercise that Pantami had joined the PDP and was seeking the governorship ticket.
“I and other aspirants accepted Pantami into the party but expressed reservations about the timing of his entry into the race,” he said.
Mailartarki said the PDP leadership encouraged the aspirants to adopt a consensus arrangement to promote unity in the party.
“The aspirants agreed to support any candidate selected from among them in the interest of party cohesion,” he said.
Mailantarki, however, said that a separate process was conducted without the involvement of the other aspirants and major stakeholders.
“My position is not against any individual but centred on ensuring fairness and adherence to due process within the party,” he said.
Pantami had ditched the APC for the PDP, after he lost his bid to clinch its governorship ticket.