…says ‘FG stands behind embattled minister’
Presidency on Thursday advanced reasons why President Muhammadu Buhari will not sack the embattled Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, over his past comments supporting activities of terrorist groups like Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
The Presidency, which ruled out the possibility of sacking Pantami from Buhari’s cabinet, said in a statement that those behind Pantami’s ordeal wanted him kicked out of government not because of his past utterances but because of some of his current actions and decisions a minister in Buhari’s cabinet.
President Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, stated the Presidency’s position in a statement titled, ‘Statement by the Presidency on recent campaign against the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy.”
The Presidency said the submission of the embattled minister that he was young when he made those statements and that his position had since changed was valid.
The Presidency argued that Pantami would never repeat such pro- terror statements since he had condemned them and apologised.
According to the statement, “Today, there is an unfortunate fashion in public discourse that makes leaders in politics, religion, and civil society liable in the present for every statement they have ever made in the past – no matter how long ago, and even after they have later rejected them.
“This insidious phenomenon seeks to cancel the careers of others on the basis of a thing they have said, regardless of when they said it.
“The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami is, currently, subject to a ‘cancel campaign’ instigated by those who seek his removal.
“They do not really care what he may or may not have said some 20 years ago: that is merely the instrument they are using to attempt to ‘cancel’ him. But they will profit should he be stopped from making decisions that improve the lives of everyday Nigerians.
“The Minister has, rightly, apologised for what he said in the early 2000s. The views were absolutely unacceptable then, and would be equally unacceptable today, were he to repeat them. But he will not repeat them – for he has publicly and permanently condemned his earlier utterances as wrong.
“In the 2000s, the Minister was a man in his twenties; next year he will be 50. Time has passed, and people and their opinions – often rightly – change.
“But all discerning Nigerians know this manufactured dispute is nothing to do with the Minister’s prior words, but solely concern his actions in the present.
“The administration stands behind Minister Pantami and all Nigerian citizens to ensure they receive fair treatment, fair prices, and fair protection in ICT services.”
The presidential spokesman, however, said the Buhari government was committed to improving the lives of all Nigerians, including ensuring that they are not over-charged or under-protected for those services on which modern life depends.
Shehu said the embattled minister had been leading the charge against illegal data deductions and pricing, revolutionised government’s virtual public engagement to respond to COVID-19 and saved taxpayers’ money, established ICT start-up centres to boost youth entrepreneurship and create jobs, changed policy to ensure locally produced ICT content is used by ministries, starting with his own and deregistered some 9.2 million SIMs – ending the ability for criminals and terrorists to flagrantly use mobile networks undetected.
Shehu added, “In two short years, Minister Pantami has driven the contribution of the ICT sector to the GDP 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.
“In putting people first, the minister and this administration have made enemies. There are those in the opposition who see success and want it halted by any means. And there is now well-reported information that alleges newspaper editors rebuffed an attempt to financially induce them to run a smear campaign against the minister by some ICT companies, many of which do indeed stand to lose financially through lower prices and greater consumer protections.
“The government is now investigating the veracity behind these claims of attempted inducement, and – should they be found to hold credence – police and judicial action must be expected.”