By ELIZABETH OGUNJOBI

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, has dismissed claims by former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, that President Bola Tinubu endorsed his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The APC dismissed the claim as false, misleading and an attempt to justify Pantami’s “futile political adventure” outside the APC.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday in Gombe, Mr Moses Kyari, APC Publicity Secretary in the state, stressed that President Tinubu remained a committed party loyalist who had never encouraged or supported anti-party activities.

Kyari was reacting to comments allegedly made by Pantami suggesting that his decision to leave the APC for the PDP, where he later emerged as the party’s governorship candidate, had received Tinubu’s blessing.

He said the claim was entirely unfounded and contrary to President Tinubu’s long-standing commitment to party discipline and loyalty.

“President Tinubu has no record of engaging in anti-party activities. To suggest that he authorised or endorsed Pantami’s move to the PDP is completely false.

“This is yet another lie from the pit of hell. The President has never encouraged any member of the APC to work against the party’s interests, and he certainly did not ask Pantami to seek election under the PDP,” he said.

The spokesman said that President Tinubu would never support actions capable of undermining the APC, having dedicated years to building and strengthening the party.

Kyari urged the APC national leadership and the presidency to publicly address Pantami’s campaign of misinformation before it gains traction among residents of the state.

He warned that allowing such claims to go unchallenged could create confusion among party members and the electorate.

The APC spokesman further argued that Pantami remained a member of the party in the eyes of the law, insisting that its state chapter had not received any formal letter communicating his resignation.

Kyari argued that the process allegedly followed by Pantami in leaving the APC fell short of the requirements stipulated in the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act and the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He claimed that executives in 25 out of the 27 wards across the state were unaware of any resignation letter submitted by Pantami.

“The resignation process was orchestrated through the financial inducement of a ward chairman, rather than through the recognised party structures.

“The majority of ward executives never saw any resignation letter from Pantami. What we witnessed was a concocted process designed to create the impression that he had properly exited the party,” Kyati said.

He said the APC remained united and focused ahead of future elections, expressing confidence that party members would not be distracted by politically motivated claims.

In a swift reaction, Mr Abdulkadir Ahmad, PDP Publicity Secretary, in a statement on Tuesday in Gombe, said that Pantami had fulfilled all constitutional and legal requirements for membership of the party after resigning from the APC.

Ahmad stressed that the PDP possessed all relevant documents confirming Pantami’s resignation from the APC, including acknowledgment by his former ward chairman.

“The PDP wishes to categorically state that Professor Pantami is a bonafide member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), having duly complied with all the constitutional and legal requirements for membership of our party,” he said.

He urged members of the PDP and the electorate to disregard the claims by the APC regarding Pantami’s political affiliation.

“The chairman of the APC in Pantami Ward had personally acknowledged receipt of Prof. Isa Ali Pantami’s resignation letter on May 19, 2026. Evidence of the acknowledgment has circulated widely on social media.

“The APC is repeatedly raising the issue in spite of clear and documented facts.

“It should be noted that this is the third time the APC has organised a press conference on the same issue,” he said. (NAN)