A fresh crisis has emerged in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State as two rival factions have announced different governorship candidates ahead of the 2027 election.
The faction led by Tanimu Turaki has presented Mohammed Yayari as its governorship candidate. Yayari received his Certificate of Return during a ceremony on Wednesday alongside other candidates from different states.
At the event, party leaders stressed the need for loyalty among candidates and warned against leaving the party after securing nominations.
PDP chieftain Ibrahim Turaki said, “Nobody will take our mandate to another political party and get away with it,” adding that future candidates would sign agreements before their names are submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The party’s National Organising Secretary, Theophilus Shan, said, “We are ready to go into the elections prepared with our candidates.”
Meanwhile, another PDP faction held a separate National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja, where former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, was officially presented as the party’s governorship candidate for Gombe State.
The rival group, led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, also presented Certificates of Return to candidates it said had been recognised and published by INEC.
Pantami’s emergence has deepened the leadership dispute within the PDP in Gombe, with both factions now backing different candidates for the same governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 election.