The Presidency on Thursday backed the embattled Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, describing him as a changed man and an asset.
Many Nigerians have been calling for Pantami to resign or be sacked over his past comments which supported the activities of terrorist groups like Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
The New Diplomat had reported that Pantami’s past comments have generated a barrage of reactions from Nigerians who have said that Pantami could not be trusted and should not be trusted with the massive data of the country.
However, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the Presidency argued that
Pantami’s comments were made while he was young and as such could not be used against him, adding that his position have since changed.
Pantami has stated that he made the comments credited to him when he was young and immature.
At a Ramadan lecture in Abuja, the minister said, “I was young when I made some of the comments; I was in university. Some of the comments were made when I was a teenager. I started preaching when I was 13. Many scholars and individuals did not understand some of the international events and therefore took some positions based on their understanding. Some have come to change their positions later.”
While assuring Nigerians that Pntami evolved from his past belief and that such statements won’t be repeated, the Presidency said.
Pantami cannot be sacked because he has the capacity to improve the lives of Nigerians:
“In two short years, Minister Pantami has driven the contribution of the ICT sector to the GFD to more than 18 percent, making it one of the top two playing a critical role in the emergence of the economy from the COVID-19-induced recession.”
Shehu described those calling for the resignation or sack of the minister as mischief makers, who are using the comments he made several years back as an “instrument to cancel him.”
