Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has dismissed reports suggesting that he has withdrawn his ambition to contest the 2027 governorship election in Gombe State.
Pantami made the clarification in a response to a post circulating on X (formerly Twitter), where claims had emerged that he was pressured to step down from the race by the Gombe State governor, Inuwa Yahaya.
The former minister’s reaction followed a post by an X user, Theo Abu, who alleged that Pantami had agreed to forgo his governorship ambition and instead support a consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
According to the claim, the decision was reportedly reached during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Gombe State Government House on Monday. Abu further alleged that Pantami was displeased with the development and the governor’s alleged interference in his political plans.
“FLASH: Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya has asked Prof. Isa Ali Pantami to drop guber ambition and support APC consensus candidate during a stakeholders meeting this night at the Gombe State Government House,” Abu wrote in the post.
“Pantami according to sources, was not happy with this decision,” he added.
However, reacting directly to the post, Pantami categorically denied the claims, stating that no such directive was issued by the governor and that the information being circulated was false.
“This is not true. Nothing like this happened. The Governor did not ask anyone to drop their ambition,” Pantami wrote.
He further clarified that rather than being sidelined, he was given recognition at the event, noting that Governor Yahaya had invited him as one of the speakers during the stakeholders’ meeting.
“In fact, the Gov. gave me a special recognition by inviting me to be among the speakers at the event,” he added.
Pantami also took a swipe at the originator of the claim, accusing him of spreading misinformation and pursuing what he described as an “evil agenda.”
“For your information, @TheoAbuAgada, you will never be successful with your evil agenda. If Allah (God) is with you, no evil plan will defeat you,” he stated.
The denial comes amid growing political activities and speculations ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly within the APC in Gombe State, where discussions around potential candidates and party strategy are beginning to take shape.
Political observers note that Pantami, a prominent figure within the APC and former federal minister, remains one of the key names being mentioned in connection with the governorship race. His clarification is therefore seen as an attempt to set the record straight and dispel rumours that could affect his political standing.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Governor Yahaya nor the APC leadership in Gombe State has issued an official statement regarding the claims or the developments from the stakeholders’ meeting.
The situation highlights the increasing role of social media in shaping political narratives, as well as the need for verification of information, especially as the political climate gradually intensifies ahead of the next election cycle.
