With the 2027 general elections inching closer, Nigeria’s political landscape has become a revolving door of defections, alliances, and strategic wooing. Both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the emerging African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition have been relentless in their bid to secure influential figures who could tilt the balance of power.

One name that has suddenly become a prized catch is the 52-year-old Professor Isa Ali Pantami, the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy.

Last week, the ADC held a caucus meeting in Abuja, drawing heavyweights such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former governors Nasir el-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, and members of the party’s National Working Committee. Among those sighted at the gathering was Pantami, whose presence did not go unnoticed.

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Daily Trust gathered that just days before the meeting, Atiku had visited Pantami at his Abuja residence to persuade him to join the coalition. The visit, according to Pantami, “centred on meaningful discussions about the economy, education, unity, and governance, among other essential topics.”

Three days before Atiku’s visit, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate and a 2027 presidential hopeful, Peter Obi, had also stopped by Pantami’s Abuja residence. The former minister later revealed that their discussions covered “a range of issues, including agriculture, economy, education, artificial intelligence, global statistics, and unity in diversity, among others.” But the visit quickly stirred controversy online, as netizens resurfaced Obi’s supporters’ past criticisms of Pantami, including comments in which some leaders of the Obidient Movement had once dismissed him as a “terrorist sympathiser”.

Soon after the caucus, APC’s National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, also paid a visit to the former minister, pressing him to stay within the ruling fold.

In his post on X announcing the visit of Nentawe, Pantami wrote, “Last night, I received a friendly visit from His Excellency, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Professor Nentawe and I spent some years together at university while he was pursuing his master’s degree.

“We reminisced and laughed about our university days. We also discussed education, economy, governance, and the upcoming mother’s burial, among many other topics. We are appreciative of the National Chairman’s visit.”

Earlier this year, former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai, who has been alongside Atiku at the forefront of the coalition formation, had also made the trip. For many observers, Pantami’s home has become “the new Mecca” of Nigerian politics, a pilgrimage site for those eyeing 2027.

These visits are loaded with symbolism. Atiku, still believed to be nursing presidential ambitions, sees Pantami as a gateway to consolidating Northern support. On the other hand, Nentawe is desperate to maintain order within the APC as opposition coalitions gain momentum. With Pantami yet to officially resign from the APC, the party believes his return and commitment to the party’s 2027 goals is still possible—especially if it dangles the prospect of a governorship ticket before him.

Pantami’s appeal is clear. Beyond his political manoeuvres, he is a respected Islamic cleric with a vast following. His endorsement is a political currency neither President Bola Tinubu nor Atiku, or whoever eventually emerges as the coalition’s presidential candidate, can afford to ignore.

Who is Isa Pantami?

Before Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 election victory, Pantami was known mainly as an academic and fiery Islamic scholar. His foray into government began in September 2016 when Buhari appointed him as Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). From there, his profile rose further, culminating in his appointment as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy between 2019 and 2023.

Pantami’s growing importance is also tied to the collapse of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Buhari’s old political base. With Buhari gone, CPC loyalists have scattered without a clear leader. Some, led by former Nasarawa governor Tanko Al-Makura, have pledged loyalty to Tinubu, while others, under Alhaji Umar Shuaibu, have aligned with Atiku and the ADC coalition.

The split has created a leadership vacuum, and Pantami’s growing influence positions him as a potential rallying figure for the CPC bloc.

The 2027 Gombe battlefront

With Governor Inuwa Yahaya completing his second term in 2027, Gombe politics is already in motion even before the campaign ban is lifted. Known aspirants within the APC include Transportation Minister Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, House of Representatives Chief Whip Usman Bello Kumo, and State Accountant General Aminu Umar Yuguda.

But the wildcard is Pantami. Though yet to openly declare, many believe he is seriously weighing a run for governor. His credibility rests on multiple fronts: his track record as NITDA DG and minister, his philanthropic projects through the Al-Waalidayn Charitable Foundation—building schools, drilling boreholes, distributing food, and sponsoring students—and his deep ties with grassroots communities across faith lines.

These initiatives have earned him a reputation as a leader with the people’s pulse. Analysts say if he enters the race, Pantami could enjoy an advantage over career politicians, buoyed by youth support and religious networks.

At the national political space, Pantami’s political posture remains deliberately ambiguous. Officially still an APC member, his visible closeness to the ADC has fuelled speculation. For Tinubu’s camp, Pantami is suspected of quietly supporting Atiku in 2023 and must be treated with caution ahead of 2027. For others, this ambiguity is no weakness but a hedge, a way to remain relevant whether APC holds or fractures before 2027.

Commentator Kabir Akintayo summed it up: “Politically, his loyalties have appeared fluid. But this ambiguity is Pantami’s strength. In Nigeria’s volatile terrain, those who can speak across divides often emerge as kingmakers—or even surprise contenders. Some analysts even liken his rising stature to that of Buhari in the early 2000s: a northern leader whose religious and cultural influence underpinned his political relevance.”

As 2027 draws nearer, the question lingers: will Pantami remain the “bride” courted by all, or will he finally choose a suitor and, with it, his political destiny?