A former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy and governorship aspirant in Gombe State, Isa Ali Pantami, has rejected a reported consensus arrangement by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, describing it as exclusionary and inconsistent with legal provisions governing party nominations.
Pantami’s position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by Professor Suleiman Mohammed on behalf of his supporters under the Pantamiyya Movement.
According to the statement, Pantami was in Abuja when he received news of what was described as a “consensus” process for selecting party candidates in the state, which he and his group dismissed as improper and undemocratic.
The group argued that no valid consensus can be reached without the participation and written consent of all aspirants who purchased and completed nomination forms.
It maintained that the process violated the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, which allows either full consensus among aspirants or a return to direct primaries where agreement is not reached.
The statement further insisted that any arrangement that excludes willing aspirants amounts to a breach of both party guidelines and national electoral law.
Pantami’s supporters urged members of the group to remain calm and law-abiding while preparing for possible direct primaries, adding that legal steps were already being taken to address concerns around the process and party membership records in Gombe State.
They also reiterated that internal party democracy must be respected to ensure fairness and transparency in candidate selection ahead of the next elections.
