Vandalism of Pantami campaign office sparks blame‑game between Gombe APC and PDP

Incident and timing The campaign office of former communications minister Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami was reported to have been vandalised at approximately 02:00 GMT on Saturday in Kumo, the administrative centre of Akko Local Government Area, Gombe State. The incident occurred amid heightened political tension ahead of the 2027 governorship election, according to reports from AllAfrica and Daily Trust.

Accusations from Pantami’s allies Muhammad City Kumo, a close associate of Pantami, claimed that the Akko council chairman, Abubakar Usman Barambu, had warned him of a plan to dispatch thugs to destroy the office. City linked the alleged threat to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s opposition to opposition party billboards, although he offered no independent evidence to substantiate either the chairman’s involvement or the governor’s awareness of the plot. City appealed to the governor to restrain the council chairman and prevent actions that could undermine peaceful political competition.

APC response Murtala Usman Wurotale, the APC’s publicity secretary, stated that the party was unaware of any organised attack and challenged the opposition to produce proof linking APC members to the vandalism. He further suggested that the PDP might have orchestrated the incident to generate public sympathy after losing the party’s governorship ticket, a claim presented without supporting evidence.

PDP reaction Abdulkadir Ahmad Dukku, the PDP’s publicity secretary, denied that any party members were present at the time of the attack and said the allegations against the APC remained unverified. Dukku announced that the PDP would seek legal advice before deciding on any further steps and called on security agencies to investigate the matter and identify those responsible.

Lack of comment from officials Efforts to obtain a response from Chairman Barambu were unsuccessful; he did not answer phone calls or return messages. Likewise, Governor Yahaya had not issued a public statement on the incident at the time of reporting.

Ongoing investigation Both parties have urged law enforcement to conduct a thorough inquiry. The incident adds to the growing atmosphere of rivalry as parties position themselves for the upcoming gubernatorial contest, with each side attributing blame while calling for a peaceful electoral process.