By Mustapha Imam Gujuba
The crisis rocking the Gombe State All Progressives Congress has taken a dramatic turn as officials from Pantami Ward openly contradict the party’s position on Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami’s resignation.
Alhaji Bala Galda, Chairman of Pantami Ward in Gombe Local Government Area, personally received Professor Pantami’s resignation letter on 19 May 2026. He placed his signature and thumbprint on the acknowledgement copy. The party’s legal adviser, Babangida Gololo, also sighted the document that same day.
In my view, what further exposed the situation is that the APC leadership only realised Professor Pantami had left when the PDP had already handed him its ticket. It was only then that they summoned Pantami Ward executives and directed them not to sign any resignation letter if presented. But the ward chairman stood his ground. He told the meeting that Professor Pantami had left the APC long before the party primaries and that he had already received, signed and thumbprinted the acknowledgement on 19 May. This reportedly caused confusion among the leadership, who reacted with alarm and allegedly subjected the chairman to intimidation, including threatening phone calls and verbal attacks. They described him as responsible for the breakdown of the party’s structure in Gombe.
On 6 June 2026, the deputy ward chairman, Yaya Isa, was forced by state government and APC officials to organise a press briefing and issue a statement denying knowledge of the resignation after the chairman refused to do so. Alhaji Bala Galda had cited that he could not deny what he knew to be fact, especially since his fingerprints were on the letter. Both he and Babangida Gololo refused to participate in the briefing, as widely seen on media and the circulated attendance sheet of the meeting.
In his remarks at the briefing, Yaya Isa said the chairman had informed them he received and acknowledged the letter, but that he and other members were not aware until later. He explained that the letter arrived on 19 May while the chairman briefed the executives on 23 May. He added that the legal adviser also confirmed seeing it, though he could not produce a copy when asked.
These accounts from the APC’s own ward officials have exposed deep cracks in the party. Instead of addressing why a respected figure like Professor Pantami walked away, the leadership has resorted to media campaigns and pressure on grassroots officers. When even its own chairman and legal adviser distance themselves from the official script, it raises serious questions about the party’s honesty and readiness.
It is also worth noting that neither the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) nor the Electoral Act 2022 expressly requires an ordinary party member to tender a written resignation before joining another political party. In practice, joining a new party is often treated as clear evidence of exit from the former one. Many party constitutions, including that of the APC, regard membership of another party as automatic cessation of membership in the previous one. The intense focus on paperwork therefore appears more like a desperate afterthought than a genuine legal barrier.
Across Gombe State, Professor Pantami’s support grows stronger every blessed day. Communities, traditional leaders, youth and women groups are declaring for him, drawn by his competence and integrity. The momentum is clear and points toward victory.
The developments in Pantami Ward suggest the ruling party is more focused on damage control than reconnecting with the people. If its own officials cannot defend the party line without coercion, how can it convince voters? Gombe deserves better than this confusion.
