Pantami rejects Gombe APC consensus, citing lack of inclusivity

A significant political rift has emerged within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, as former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, publicly rejects the party's purported consensus arrangement for elective positions. This move signals a potential challenge to the established party hierarchy and highlights internal disagreements over candidate selection processes.

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While Professor Isa Ali Pantami was in Abuja this evening, we heard about the emergence of a coronation which is called a ‘consensus’ for all the elective positions in Gombe State.

Represented by Professor Suleiman Mohammed, Pantami's supporters have voiced strong objections, labeling the consensus as a 'coronation' that lacks inclusivity and legal standing. Their argument centers on the Electoral Act 2022, which they contend requires the consent of all aspirants who have completed their nomination forms for a valid consensus. The exclusion of any aspirant, they argue, necessitates a reversion to direct primaries, a process that empowers every registered party member to vote.

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

This rejection is framed not just as a local Gombe issue but as a matter of principle, with the supporters citing 'injustice anywhere' as a threat to justice everywhere. They assert that the alleged consensus arrangement disregards the law, the directives of the party's national leadership, and President Bola Tinubu's instructions. The Pantamiyya Movement is rallying its supporters to prepare for direct primaries, indicating a readiness to contest the outcome through established legal and party channels. This internal conflict underscores the complexities of political maneuvering and the importance of due process in Nigeria's political landscape.

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Consensus: A candidate may emerge if all cleared aspirants provide written consent to step down. If even one aspirant refuses, the party must revert to a direct primary.