PDP Expels Gombe Aspirants After Pantami Primary Victory

• The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expelled governorship aspirants Khamisu Mailantarki and Usman Garry in Gombe State.
• The expulsions followed allegations of anti-party activities and breaches of the party's constitution.
• Both aspirants had challenged the outcome of the Gombe governorship primaries, where Isa Pantami emerged as the winner.
• A Federal High Court had previously nullified the first primary due to irregularities, ordering a rerun which Pantami also won.
• The PDP cited specific constitutional provisions, including sections on gross misconduct and bringing the party into disrepute, as the basis for the disciplinary action.

The PDP cited alleged anti-party activities and a clear breach of its constitutional provisions as the primary reasons for the expulsions, following a review by its disciplinary committee.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken decisive action against two of its prominent governorship aspirants in Gombe State, Khamisu Mailantarki and Usman Garry, by expelling them from the party. This significant disciplinary measure was announced on a Monday by Ini Ememobong, the party's National Publicity Secretary. The PDP cited alleged anti-party activities and a clear breach of its constitutional provisions as the primary reasons for the expulsions, following a review by its disciplinary committee.

Both Mr. Mailantarki and Mr. Garry had vied for the Gombe governorship ticket, ultimately losing out to Isa Pantami, a former federal minister. Their expulsion underscores the party's firm stance on internal dissent, particularly when it challenges the outcomes of primary elections. The events leading to this decision involved a series of contested primaries and subsequent legal and internal party disputes that have cast a spotlight on the PDP's internal governance ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The controversy began with the initial PDP governorship primary in Gombe State, held on May 26. During this exercise, Mr. Pantami, who had recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC), emerged as the party's candidate through a voice affirmation process. However, this outcome was swiftly challenged by other aspirants, notably Mr. Mailantarki and Mr. Garry, who argued that the process was irregular and unfairly excluded eligible contestants from participating.

Their challenge led to a Federal High Court ruling in Gombe on September 24, where Justice Amina Mohammed nullified the first primary. The court mandated the PDP to conduct a fresh election within 30 days, finding that the initial exercise failed to comply with the party's internal regulations and relevant Nigeria electoral law governing primaries, specifically due to the exclusion of certain screened aspirants. Crucially, the court's decision did not invalidate Mr. Pantami's membership in the PDP or disqualify him from future participation. A rerun primary was subsequently held on September 29 across the state's eleven local government areas, where Mr. Pantami was once again declared the winner, having secured the highest number of votes. Despite this, both Mr. Mailantarki and Mr. Garry continued to reject the results, albeit for different reasons. Mr. Mailantarki questioned Mr. Pantami's eligibility, citing his late entry into the PDP after the party had submitted its list of aspirants to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and his prior participation in the APC governorship primary. He contended that the contest should have been exclusively between him and Mr. Garry, and that he should have been declared the winner if Mr. Pantami's votes were disregarded. Conversely, Mr. Garry alleged significant irregularities in his voting area, claiming he was prevented from casting his ballot and that only five votes from his supporters were counted after he insisted on the process.

Following their rejection of the rerun results, the Gombe State chapter of the PDP initially suspended both aspirants for one month, citing alleged anti-party activities. Their cases were then referred to the party's disciplinary committee for further review. The subsequent expulsion, as detailed in the official notice, was a direct consequence of the disciplinary committee's findings, which were then considered by the relevant organs of the party.

The PDP's decision was rooted in specific provisions of its amended 2017 Constitution, particularly Sections 57, 58(1), and 59, which outline offenses and disciplinary measures. The party found that Mr. Mailantarki and Mr. Garry engaged in conduct inconsistent with the party's constitution, including anti-party activities, gross misconduct, and actions capable of bringing the party into disrepute, as stipulated in Section 58(1)(a), (b), (h), and (j). Meanwhile, the legal battles continue, with Mr. Garry still actively challenging Mr. Pantami's candidacy in court. He is seeking to join an existing lawsuit initiated by Mr. Pantami and the PDP against INEC. This ongoing litigation specifically addresses Mr. Pantami's eligibility to participate in the PDP primary and INEC's initial decision to exclude him from the list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe governorship election, highlighting the complex interplay between internal party rules and broader electoral regulations.

Lawyers advising political aspirants or parties in Nigeria must note the strict enforcement of internal party discipline, as evidenced by the PDP's expulsion of members challenging primary outcomes, even when initial court challenges were successful. This case highlights the risks of 'anti-party activities' and the need for careful navigation of party constitutions and electoral laws to avoid severe disciplinary actions.

Source: Original reporting via local press