APC crisis: Gombe Consensus arrangement can’t stand – Pantami

Professor Isa Ali Pantami, governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, has vowed to challenge the emergence of Jamilu Isiyaku Gwamna as the party’s consensus governorship candidate. Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya had named Gwamna as the consensus governorship candidate at the weekend. This had generated controversy, with different camps saying they […]

Professor Isa Ali Pantami, governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, has vowed to challenge the emergence of Jamilu Isiyaku Gwamna as the party’s consensus governorship candidate.

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya had named Gwamna as the consensus governorship candidate at the weekend.

This had generated controversy, with different camps saying they were not carried along in the selection process.

Reacting to the development in an interview with BBC Hausa, Pantami faulted the process which led to Gwamna’s choice as consensus candidate.

“By God’s truth, in terms of justice, what happened in Gombe State cannot be called a consensus. Consensus means that everyone agrees.”

“First, everyone involved must personally agree to the outcome. Second, even those who are absent must have representatives acting on their behalf.

“Third, there must be an agreement which complies with the the law and none of these three conditions were fulfilled, so it cannot be called consensus,” he said.

Pantami further alleged that the process violated provisions of the 2026 Electoral Act and recalled a prior meeting between the governor and governorship aspirants.

“We met once, and the governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, promised fairness and suggested that a consensus option could be considered.

“If that failed, then a direct primary would be conducted. As part of the consensus process, guidelines were supposed to be drafted, but none of us ever saw them. If you want consensus, you must appoint an independent committee with no bias or interest toward any aspirant and give them full authority.”

The former minister also alleged irregularities in the invitation process to the meeting where the consensus decision was taken.

“We were given very short notice less than 20 hours. By the time we saw it and began preparations, it was already too late to attend. We even sent a written message requesting more time, especially since the meeting was said to be a continuation of an earlier consensus discussion. We wanted to be present to ensure fairness.

“The meeting was then moved to Sunday, but no one informed us that a final decision would be made that day.”

Pantami reiterated his readiness to participate in a direct primary election, arguing that such a system better reflects grassroots support within the party.

“Those who fear direct primaries in Nigeria do so because they lack grassroots support. Anyone who is prepared and knows the masses and party members are behind him has nothing to fear.”

“What we demand is fairness. If injustice is done, we will fight it to the highest level. You will witness a struggle against injustice unlike any seen before in Nigeria,” Pantami said.

This is not the first time that Pantami would speak up against the process.

At the weekend, he issued a statement where he described the emergence of Gwamna as “coronation.”

“While Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami was in Abuja today evening, we heard about the emergence of a coronation which is called a ‘consensus’ for all the elective positions in Gombe State,” Pantami said in the statement Suleiman Mohammed, his aide, signed on his behalf.

“Legally, there can be no valid consensus without involving the aspirants who have obtained or completed their expression of interest and nomination forms.

Advising his supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, Pantami said the governor’s action was contrary to the provisions of the law, the directive of the APC, and the instruction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We urge our supporters to get ready for direct primaries after addressing major challenges in the APC database in the state. Our legal team is also working on addressing the challenges and observations,” the statement read.