Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, has explained that the widespread poverty in Gombe State and the need for an all-inclusive government influenced his decision to pursue the 2027 governorship seat under the Peoples Democratic Party.
Pantami made the remarks on Tuesday after he was confirmed as the PDP governorship candidate for Gombe State during the party’s affirmation exercise.
While declaring the outcome, Chairman of the PDP Gombe Electoral Panel, Gregory Yenlong, announced Pantami as the only aspirant and affirmed him according to the party’s guidelines.
Yenlong said, “Our candidate is Professor Isa Ali Pantami. He is the sole candidate. Therefore, based on the guidelines of the election, he obtained the following votes: Gombe North, 16,781; Gombe Central, 12,752; and Gombe South, 23,422.
“The total number of votes is 52,955. By the guidelines, it is my singular privilege to present Isa Pantami for affirmation.”
Speaking after accepting the nomination, Pantami stated that his aspiration was motivated by the need to improve the lives of residents rather than personal gains.
“The acceptance is not about ambition, but rather about serving humanity. The acceptance is not about Isa, but about Gombe State,” he said.
He lamented the poverty level in the state, referencing statistics from the National Multidimensional Poverty Index.
“Gombe is the third poorest state in Nigeria with a poverty index of around 74.5 per cent. By implication, our people are living in abject poverty,” Pantami stated.
According to him, his government would prioritise reducing poverty through investments in education, agriculture and industrial development.
“Our plan is to ensure we lift our people from this poverty, particularly through education and agriculture by introducing smart agriculture. In the area of industrialisation, we intend to attract foreign direct investment for our people,” he added.
Pantami further promised to encourage public-private partnerships and improve welfare programmes across the state.
“We want to establish public-private partnerships. We want to be the father of all orphans in the state, where if you lose your father, you still have a father,” he said.
The former minister also emphasised the importance of unity and fairness among residents in all the 11 local government areas of the state.
“There is no discrimination or any difference between the people of Balanga, Billiri, Kaltungo and Shongom, and the people of Gombe, Funakaye, Dukku, Deba and Nafada. We want to ensure that all our people are treated equally,” he stated.
He noted that diversity should be embraced as an advantage for progress rather than a source of division.
“We want to ensure that our diversity is our strength, not our weakness. We want to utilize our diversity as machinery for taking Gombe to greater heights, not for discrimination,” Pantami said.
Pantami also commended the achievements recorded under previous PDP administrations in the state, saying several major projects were executed during the party’s 16 years in office.
“Within this period, Gombe State was transformed from a rural community to an urban settlement. Most of the major achievements recorded in the state were achieved during the time of the Peoples Democratic Party,” he said.
He mentioned projects such as Gombe State University, Federal University Kashere, Gombe State University of Science and Technology, Kumo, College of Education Billiri, State Polytechnic Bajoga, Gombe International Hotel, Gombe Airport and the Dadinkowa water project among the accomplishments of the PDP.
Pantami’s emergence followed his withdrawal from the All Progressives Congress governorship primary election in Gombe State about a week earlier.
