President Buhari defends Pantami 

President Muhammadu Buhari has insisted that he would retain Isa Ali Pantami, Nigeria’s Minister for Communications and Digital Economy despite the campaign for his sack.

President Buhari said the campaign was about what Pantami said in the past, when he was in his 20s, echoing Pantami’s own defence at the weekend.

And he added that the campaign was instigated by the people who Pantami might have stepped upon while introducing changes in the ICT sector.

“The Administration stands behind Minister Pantami and all Nigerian citizens to ensure they receive fair treatment, fair prices, and fair protection in ICT services”, Buhari said, according to statement released by Garba Shehu.

In the statement, President Buhari described as unfortunate the 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.

“The Minister has, rightly, apologized 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.

“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.

“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.

“The Administration stands behind Minister Pantami and all Nigerian citizens to ensure they receive fair treatment, fair prices, and fair protection in ICT services.