Professor Ali Isa Pantami remains a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, the party's state chapter has declared, rejecting claims of his resignation. Pantami, who recently emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe, was reported to have defected after the APC governorship primary produced Jamilu Gwamna as its candidate. At a press briefing in Gombe, APC Publicity Secretary Moses Kyari stated that the party's Ward Executive Committee did not receive or deliberate on any formal resignation letter from Pantami. He said 25 out of 27 ward executives dismissed the resignation as "fabricated and unauthorized." Ward Chairman Alhaji Bala Galda revealed that a letter dated May 19 and delivered on May 23 by Abba Pantami was never circulated among committee members. Kyari emphasized that under APC rules, INEC guidelines, and the Electoral Act, Pantami cannot be considered a defector without due process. He also refuted Pantami's claim in a television interview that his move had the blessing of President Bola Tinubu, asserting that the President remains fully aligned with the APC. Kyari praised Governor Muhammadu Yahaya's administration for achievements in governance, infrastructure, and political stability, which he said reinforced APC's strength in the state. The Gombe APC urged the national leadership and the Presidency to issue a public statement to stop the spread of misinformation.
Pantami's emergence as PDP's candidate while still officially in APC raises questions about the credibility of party membership verification. The claim of presidential backing, denied by the Gombe APC, exposes a disconnect that could undermine public trust in political declarations. If a former minister's defection lacks documented process, the integrity of party transitions comes into doubt. The national party and Presidency's silence leaves room for confusion in an already tense political climate.
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