A former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, has warned President Muhammadu Buhari that the world would pass on Nigerian an unfavourable verdict if he failed to handle properly the accusations against the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.
“The @NigeriaGov @NGRPresident @MBuhari may not realize that the world is following the ugly developments on our country’s Minister of Communication and how his government is handling or in fact ignoring to handle it,” she tweeted.
She said the country should avoid being listed among countries that sponsor terrorism.
“Nigeria must avoid the list of states that sponsor terrorism,” she tweeted.
Pantami is struggling to clear his name over allegations that the United States has placed him on its terror watch list over his past religious views and activities.
He was alleged to have made some comments that exposed his extreme religious leanings some years ago, in support of some terror groups, including Al-Qaeda, and the Taliban.
Pantami in various statements has renounced his controversial comments on the terrorist groups, with the explanation that he was young when he made those radical statements.
He has cited as evidence of his liberal disposition now the fact that his personal driver and secretary are Christians.
Despite these claims by the minister, Nigerians from all walks of life have called for his resignation, or, in the alternative, sack by President Buhari.
But there is no indication that Pantami’s case is on the government’s list of issues for discussion, at least for now.
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said on Wednesday that the Federal Executive Council did not discuss the issue on calls for Pantami’s sacking at its weekly meeting, which was presided over by President Buhari
