Pantami remains party member, Gombe APC insists

The Gombe State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has firmly stated that former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Ali Pantami, is still a member of the party. The party insists that the purported resignation and subsequent move to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not follow the correct procedures.

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As you may recall, twenty-five out of the twenty-seven members of the Ward Executive Committee publicly stated that they neither saw nor deliberated on any resignation letter purportedly submitted by Professor Ali Isa Pantami.

According to the APC's Publicity Secretary in Gombe, Moses Kyari, the party's Ward Executive Committee in Pantami's locality has clarified that they neither received nor deliberated on any resignation letter from the former minister. Kyari described the claim of Pantami's resignation as a fabrication, orchestrated without the knowledge or approval of the Ward Executive Committee, with 25 out of 27 members supporting this stance.

Kyari further detailed that the alleged resignation letter was dated May 19 but received on May 23, 2026, and delivered by an individual named Abba Pantami. He noted that the Ward Executive Committee has not been provided with a copy of this letter, despite repeated requests. The party maintains that, according to APC Constitution, INEC guidelines, and the Electoral Act, Pantami remains an APC member until all due processes are properly completed and verified.

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It is therefore our position that Professor Ali Isa Pantami remains a member of the APC until all due processes are properly followed and verified.

Additionally, the APC spokesperson refuted claims made by Pantami in a televised interview that his defection to the PDP and governorship ambition had the blessing of President Bola Tinubu. The party described this assertion as difficult to believe, emphasizing President Tinubu's commitment to the APC and his consistent loyalty to the party. The APC highlighted the achievements of the current APC administration in Gombe State under Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, citing improvements in governance, infrastructure, and stability.

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We categorically reject this assertion. President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a committed leader of the APC and has consistently demonstrated loyalty to the party.