The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe has reserved judgement in the suit challenging the emergence of Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election.
Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed reserved judgment on Friday after hearing arguments from counsel representing the plaintiff, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and Pantami.
Counsel to INEC, Barrister S. M. Yusuf, informed the court that he had regularised his motion through an oral application.
Yusuf said the commission adopted its regularised further affidavit and urged the court to dismiss the suit.
“I have regularised our motion by oral application before the court. We adopt our further affidavit and urge the court to dismiss the plaintiff’s suit in line with the provisions of Section 115 of the Evidence Act,” he submitted.
Counsel to Pantami, Barrister Tunde Falola, told the court that his client had filed a motion alongside a preliminary objection supported by a six-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Shuaibu Usman Gwani.
Falola urged the court to dismiss the originating summons, maintaining that Pantami had resigned from the All Progressives Congress before participating in the PDP governorship primary.
“Our motion is accompanied by a preliminary objection supported by a six-paragraph affidavit. We urge the court to dismiss the originating summons. The evidence before the court shows that Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami resigned from the APC on May 19, 2026, before the conduct of the PDP primary election,” Falola argued.
Responding, counsel to the plaintiff, Chief Ekpo Ejembi Ekpo, SAN, said the plaintiff had filed a counter-affidavit, a response to the preliminary objections and a further affidavit, all supported with documentary exhibits.
Ekpo urged the court to dismiss the applications filed by INEC and the other defendants, insisting that the plaintiff’s case disclosed valid issues for determination.
“We have filed our counter-affidavit, our response to the preliminary objections and a further affidavit together with the necessary exhibits. We urge the court to dismiss the applications filed by INEC and the defendants and award costs accordingly,” he submitted.
After listening to the submissions of all parties, Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed reserved judgment and said the date for its delivery would be communicated to the parties through their respective counsel.
