By Danjuma Attah, Gombe
The political rally held for most part of Wednesday in Gombe town, heralding the return of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship candidate, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, has made a very strong political statement on the expectations of the people ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had recently released a list of Governorship candidates which includes Prof Pantami’s name after an earlier list had excluded him, eliciting public celebration by supporters of the party on the return of his name in the list.
Then came the candidate’s return to Gombe on Wednesday 11th November, 2026 after spending some weeks outside the State where a grand reception and a political rally that took him round some major streets of Gombe, was organized in his honour.
Against all odds heralding the planned rally, the city of Gombe stood still for over five hours for the Sheikh whose popularity has continued to soar in a State that is being ruled by the All Progressive Congress (APC), under Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
The atmosphere in Gombe, the commercial nerve centre in the North-East, had since morning of Wednesday changed, but on Pantami’s arrival in the afternoon, the atmosphere got charged as a long convoy of people and vehicles from the airport down to the city centre accompanied the PDP stalwarts.
The reinclusion of Prof Pantami in the INEC’s list has completely changed the political trajectory after an internal party wrangling that proceeded the party’s Governorship primary election, though there is still a litigation in Court.
To many political watchers, Prof Pantami of the PDP is the candidate that can make the ruling APC to have a run for their money, without which, even if it (APC) will win, it will not take the people of Gombe for a ride, as such, it needs a formidable opposition candidate which Pantami is capable of providing and even have a chance of clinching victory at the polls come 2027.
It is on this premise that the rally on Wednesday brought into Gombe, the National Chairman of the PDP, Abdulrahman Mohammed, it’s Organising Secretary as well as the party’s Publicity Secretary.
Leader of the party in the State and Senator representing Gombe North, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, all candidates of the party in the forthcoming elections and other party stalwarts were present during the rally that culminated in the presentation of the PDP flags, a symbol of flying the party’s ticket during the elections.
At the Palace of the Emir of Gombe, where the rally ended late evening, the party’s National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, thanked the people of Gombe for the massive turnout to welcome them and reiterated that Prof Pantami remains its candidate and that the PDP is sure of victory.
In a short remark after receiving his flag, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, said the wealth of Gombe State is not for people to feast on it but must be judiciously used for the betterment of all. A promise he vowed to uphold.
He also promised to fight poverty by creating employment opportunities, ensure good health facilities, improve education and enhance agricultural activities among other pressing needs of the State.
“We have planned to carry everyone along in moving Gombe State forward. I have 27 strong statement to make in the nearest future and we are ready to answer our opponents in due course”.
End.
