2027: My Track Record will Earn me APC Ticket – Pantami
By Kabir Akintayo
Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, has expressed optimism about clinching the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket for Gombe State, while calling for transparent, fair and independent direct primaries within the ruling party.
Pantami spoke with journalists after appearing before the APC screening committee, where he described the exercise as commendable, transparent and objective.
“To be fair, the process has been commendable so far. It has been very transparent, very objective, very friendly, and it is really encouraging so far,” he said.
The former minister also praised the screening committee for treating all aspirants with fairness and respect during the exercise.
“I commend the screening committee, really, for the questions they asked and the way they honoured each and every one of us,” he added.
Speaking on his chances in the race, Pantami said he remained optimistic, noting that his confidence was rooted in his track record in public service rather than political rhetoric.
“I’m optimistic, God willing. I have my scorecard. This is not the first time I’m going into public office,” he stated.
Pantami recalled serving as Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for three years before his appointment as minister, stressing that his achievements remain publicly verifiable.
According to him, independent assessments by KPMG, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) ranked his ministry among the best-performing between 2019 and 2023.
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“The scorecard is out there for everyone to see. Based on the independent assessment of KPMG, FCDO and the SGF office, when I completed my tenure, I happened to have the best report result in the administration from 2019 to 2023,” he said.
He explained that his governorship aspiration is anchored on performance and experience, insisting that Nigerians are now more interested in leaders with verifiable achievements.
“That is why we are into politics, not with a blueprint, but rather with a scorecard,” Pantami declared.
On speculations surrounding the emergence of a consensus candidate in the Gombe APC governorship race, the former minister said he was unaware of any such arrangement, noting that the screening process itself reflected the party’s commitment to fairness.
“I’m not aware of anything like this at the moment because, since we were invited for screening and we have been screened here, it is an indication that at least the party at the national level has given each and every Nigerian a level playing ground,” he explained.
Pantami further stressed the importance of internal democracy and justice within political parties, describing them as vital for the survival of democracy in Nigeria.
He welcomed the APC’s reported decision to adopt direct primaries, but maintained that the process must be transparent and independently managed to ensure credibility.
“What is important is not only the direct primaries, but that the direct primaries must be very transparent, very fair, and at the same time very independent,” he said.
According to him, individuals with vested interests should not supervise the exercise in order to guarantee equal opportunities for all aspirants.
“I think this is crucial for the survival of the APC as a party and also for the survival of democracy in Nigeria,” Pantami added.
