Geographically, Gombe state is one of the most advantaged states in the northeast subregion of Nigeria. Centrally located, it shares borders with the other five states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Taraba and Yobe that formed the region. Carved out of the former Bauchi State by the late General Sani Abacha in 1996, Gombe, has, overtime transformed to become an economically and politically important state in Nigeria. It is, therefore, one of the states, political pundits watch, whenever elections are around the corner.
Thus, as usual, with the 2027 general elections only a few months away, it is all too clear that politically interesting times are ahead in the Jewel in the Savannah. Political parties’ primary elections have been concluded, and the main contenders are Isa Pantami of the PDP, Bello Bala Tinka of the ADC and Jamilu Isiaku Gwamna of the APC.
Among the trio frontline contenders, Pantami is not as conversant as Tinka and Jamilu Gwamna with the Gombe state political terrain. The former minister and Islamic cleric arrived on the political scene with an ICT background, academic and leadership experience from ATBU, Bauchi, NITDA and the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
