Peoples Democratic Party has urged the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately invite the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, for questioning and investigation over alleged affiliations with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
The party, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) and some concerned Nigerians have also demanded that President Muhammadu Buhari sack the minister without further delay, given the sensitivity of the issue at stake
Pantami had on Saturday renounced his previous pro Al-Qaeda and Taliban sermons and utterances amid calls for his resignation by various interest groups and security experts.
Controversy over the minister’s links with the Islamist terror groups has continued to gain traction, especially in the light of the portfolio he holds, as a custodian of data containing sensitive information on the citizens.
The Peoples Democracy party’s position was contained in a statement signed by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan on Sunday.
“Our party’s position is predicated on the heightening concerns in the public space and in the international arena of possible compromises by the communications minister, who has access to sensitive government documents and information, in addition to data of all individuals, including high profile personalities in the public and private sectors as well as the traditional and faith-based circles.
“The PDP is particularly worried about allegations in the public suggesting that the minister compromised the National Identification Number (NIN) registration exercise by giving room for the registration of aliens and invaders from other countries as our citizens.
“The party tasks the DSS to investigate the allegation, which has created apprehension, particularly given the rise in banditry and other terrorist activities in our country.
“The PDP urges Nigerians to remain at alert and very sensitive to their environment, while not hesitating in providing useful information to our security agencies in the interest of our nation,” the statement read.
HURIWA asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the minister over his past affiliations to teachings of global Jihadists movements of Al Qaeda.
HURIWA also challenged Buhari to be courageous in arresting and prosecuting terrorists and bandits such as armed herdsmen who, the group said are about pushing Nigeria into a state of civil war by their “unbridled quest to displace farmers all over the country so as to supplant themselves and other foreign based herders that officers of the internal security agencies have aided and abetted their illegal entry into Nigeria”.
It advised the president to expose and boot out all sympathisers of Islamic terror networks in his government, “if he truly means to decisively dismantle all the terror cells in existence in Nigeria and especially those who are actively threatening the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
On Saturday, the embattled minister, however, denied having any ties with terrorist groups or ethnic and religious bigotry, saying he employed more Christians than muslims as members of his staff.
Pantami, a Muslim cleric, said he had never had issues with his Christian aides, friends and associates of many years.
Meanwhile, a massive outrage and demand for his sacking continued on social media at the weekend despite renouncing his controversial comments on terrorism.
With another trending hashtag — #PantamiResignNow, many Nigerians stated he (Pantami) could not be trusted with the data of Nigerians, especially with the ongoing National Identification Number and Subscriber Identity Module integration exercise under his watch.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has urged the Minister of Communications and Digital Planning, Dr. Isa Pantami, to ignore calls by some people that he should resign.
In a statement issued by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC said everyone has their past.
“A section of the Nigerian press published reports of calls being made by some people for the resignation of Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami over the fake news that the US had placed him on its watchlist. The second allegation was that the minister had made certain radical pronouncements in the past.
“It is a baseless call and it should be ignored. After all, the US itself has denied it. Dr. Pantami has been enjoying unhindered multiple entry to the US for a very long time.
“Even Facebook, the US based social media giant had Pantami’s picture on Facebook’s digital board for several hours as a mark of honor and respect during one of his numerous visits to that country.
“The campaign of calumny is being pushed by forces against the Federal Government’s NIN policy, Boko Haram terrorists, bandits, criminals in general and political IDPs (Internally Displaced Politicians). No one who has the love of Nigeria at heart will support such a malicious and frivolous allegation.
“It is a well-known fact that NIN is designed to expose the true identity of criminals like Yahoo Yahoo boys, bandits and kidnappers who use the internet and telephone to extort money from foreigners and families of kidnapped victims.
“They live a life of Mr. Jekyll and Hyde : respected gentlemen in the day but dangerous criminals at night and on lonely alleys.
“They have become jittery ever since the NIN policy was introduced by Pantami’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Policy.
“They are among those who stand to benefit from Pantami’s resignation. As for the political IDPs, their motive is to ensure that no project initiated by the current administration succeeds.
“The implications of Pantami’s resignation at this crucial stage are too gloomy to contemplate. It is a national security issue. The NIN scheme, our hope for dealing a technical blow on terrorism, insurgency, kidnapping and all sorts of criminality in the country will suffer suffocating palpitations.
“There will be a break in monitoring. It is better for us to allow the man who started it to finish it. If any problem arises after we have changed hands in the middle of its implementation, the new boss will easily shift the blame. It will then be a double tragedy. Let the beginner be the finisher. #beginnermustbefinisher