TheCable

Despite publicly recanting his previous comments that supported terror groups, Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, is still facing calls for resignation.

While speaking at a Ramadan lecture on Saturday, Pantami said he made comments in support of the terrorists at a time he had  little knowledge of the issues involved.

“Some of the comments I made some years ago that are generating controversies now were based on my understanding of religious issues at the time, and I have changed several positions taken in the past based on new evidence and maturity,” he 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.”

However, many Nigerians would not be pacified and are asking for his to quit, as captured in these reactions.

This is not about age. I was once a teenager too – and I never supported killing people of different religions or beliefs. #PantamiResignNow

— Ayo Sogunro (@ayosogunro) April 18, 2021

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Apology is not enough. If we are a serious Nation, Pantami should be sacked and then charged to court. Take a look at number (5) of the terrorism prevention act.
#PantamiResignNow pic.twitter.com/hY8lVNgrM9

— Emma ik Umeh (Tcee )🇳🇬 (@emmaikumeh) April 18, 2021

If @DrIsaPantami can renounce his views and still keep his job , we definitely shld make Evans the kidnapper chief of defense staff since he regrets his action then. A Govt of insurgents apologists fighting insurgency. How cool is that ? 🤷🏽‍♂️#PantamiResignNow

— OSHOMAh (@JohnNetworQ) April 17, 2021

Now that Isa Pantami has renounced his extremist ideology, he should do the right thing and resign from office.

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If he truly wants to make up for his past, he should continue the work of engaging and de-radicalising young jihadis, not handle national affairs. #PantamiResignNow

— Ayo Sogunro (@ayosogunro) April 18, 2021

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Kemi Adeosun resigned over forgery.

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Stella Oduah resigned over corruption allegations.

Everyone condemned them and non asked for forgiveness to continue as a minister.

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Pantami ‘s case won’t be different.

A supporter of Taliban and al-quaeda. #PantamiResignNow

— ONYEDIKACHUKWU ANAMBRA (@OnyedikaAnambra) April 18, 2021

Today is 18th of April, 2021 and Isa Pantami, Al-Qaeda sympathizer and Osama Bin Laden’s supporter is still the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.#PantamiResignNow

— Ayemojubar (@ayemojubar) April 18, 2021

Today is another day to remind us that an Al-Qaeda sympathizer and Osama Bin Laden’s supporter should never be our comm Minister.
He can never be trusted with personal contact details of ‘Enemies of Allah’
#PantamiResignNow

— Richard (@chocozhere) April 18, 2021

Just imagine that the data of a country is in the hands of a terrorist sympathiser. Chai! #PantamiResignNow

— Nimrod (@GhenhisKhan) April 18, 2021

Age has everything to do with radicalism. We’ve seen old & young turn suicide bombers.

Pantami saying he was young when he held those terroristic ideologies isn’t no excuse at all#PantamiResignNow, begin an evangelism of deradicalization. He has no biz handling public affairs

— FS Yusuf (@FS_Yusuf_) April 18, 2021

D hypocrisy of Northern Nigeria where I come from is legendary.

I remember how we campaigned vigorously for d resignation of Kemi Adeosun over some forged NYSC certificate but now see hw ‘we’ are defending Pantami who has confessed to loving global Terrorists.#PantamiResignNow

— Comr. Steven Kefas 🇳🇬 (@SKefason) April 18, 2021

I was on the Governing Council of ATBU, Bauchi. Pantami was the initiator of several fatal religious flare ups @ Bauchi. He was even kicked out of ATBU Mosque for his inciting sermons. His staying on further divides Nigeria! #PantamiResignNow#PantamiWillStay

— Class_Master (@RayMorphy) April 17, 2021

My only problem with Pantami is how he deceived us by showing his fake concern over Boko Haram killings during Good-Luck Jonathan’s tenure, but today B/Haram, Banditry and kidnapping is a normal thing in Arewa and Pantami is no longer crying. #PantamiResignNow

— Abdul-Aziz Na’ibi Abubakar (@jrnaib2) April 17, 2021

Pantami has now renounced his extremist views? Logically, that is an admission of guilt — that he’s an extremist.

The honourable thing to do now is for him to resign. Failure, we’ll force him out of office by mass action. It is the patriotic thing to do. #PantamiResignNow

— FESTUS OGUN (@mrfestusogun) April 17, 2021

Those who starts the trend of #PantamiWillStay says we’re hating isa pantami because he’s a Muslim. He just admitted that he was not mature when he supports Taliban & al-Qaeda. In a sane country he would have been sacked & jail by now instead of saying #PantamiResignNow.

— IFA FUNSHO (@funshographix) April 17, 2021

Days after so many revealing videos images and documents have dropped, not a comment from the Presidency on Isa Pantami. Pin drop silence. Never have we had it this bad. #PantamiResignNow

— Oscar I. (@OInnocxnt) April 18, 2021

The revelations we have seen lately of Pantami are very weighty to be considered lightly, as a southern, i am worried, especially by the posture & body languages of not only Pantami but PMB & his govt.

The govt must wake up and purge itself of these baggages.#PantamiResignNow pic.twitter.com/U2GKR7b3T6

— Oga Pharmacist 💊 (@gospel_Rx) April 18, 2021

In a very sane country, governed by people who have shame and know the right thing, @DrIsaPantami would have honourably resigned by now but this is Nigeria!

You just can’t shame the shameless.#PantamiResignNow

— The Professor (@doctorniyi) April 18, 2021

Since Isa Pantami has admitted to these allegations against him, I wonder why he hasn’t been fired?

Isa Pantami is a serious THREAT to our National security.

I don’t know why it us hard for presidency to fire him. #PantamiResignNow

— Mister Jonah (@MisterJonahh) April 18, 2021

However, there are many people fighting in his corner….

WHO IS DR ISA ALI IBRAHIM PANTAMI.

Attack on persons with high repute in Nigeria is not a new trend,it has been happening and it will Continue to happen as long as we practice democracy.#PantamiMustStay #PantamiWillStay #PantamiStays #PantamiWillNotResign pic.twitter.com/HQw5nq1RwN

— Iliyasu Aliyu (@Iliyasu23577391) April 18, 2021

They said he was on a watchlist it’s turned up to be a lie, they said he was expelled from the University, it turned up to be a lie.

His crime is performing his duty with sincerity of purpose. #PantamiMustStay and complete his good work.

— Yusuf Abubakar (@ribaduabubakar2) April 18, 2021

Nobody is talking about the enhanced Broadband penetration over of 10% achieved within a year all thanks to Dr Pantami leadership.#PantamiMustStay and complete the good work.

— Yusuf Abubakar (@ribaduabubakar2) April 18, 2021

#PantamiMustStay, You don’t need a marabout to tell you, the gangup against Pantami was well calculated. They started with fake news and then used influencers to amplify it. Pantami has never been queried for his beliefs even when he was leaving a country like Saudi Arabia.

— Yusuf Abubakar (@ribaduabubakar2) April 18, 2021

This whole Pantami resigning issue is questionable

it starts with false allegations, It didn’t work then you start digging into his past. Seems like someone/some people are desperate to find him at fault

Why now? What happened? Why#PantamiMustStay

— Yusuf Abubakar (@ribaduabubakar2) April 18, 2021