Human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), says the Minister
of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, is unfit to oversee
critical digital and telecommunications agencies of government because “his
antecedents are quite worrisome”.
Ozekhome, in a statement on Thursday titled, ‘Isa Patami:
The Leopard And Its Unchanging Spots’, said though the communications minister
recently renounced his radical pro-Taliban comments, he hasn’t really changed
as a “fanatic, fundamentalist and supporter of extremist Islamic sects”.
“Has he really changed? What has changed? Can a leopard ever
change its spots? Ozekhome asked.
The senior advocate said last month, Pantami contracted an Islamic TV to cover a Federal Government event.
He said, “In saner climes, Pantami should have resigned
immediately without more. Or be sacked forthwith. Lifting the veil off his
purported transformation or assumed transfiguration is so easy when viewed
against the background of his new acts even as Minister.
“Only recently, On March 22, 2021, Pantami’s Ministry hosted
a virtual flag-off ceremony for a capacity development programme empowering 600
people with VSAT Installation Skills. Pantami himself was present and he even
spoke at the event. It was a Virtual Flag-off Capacity Development Programme on
VSAT Installation Skills and TVRO Systems for 600 youths by Pantami.
“The ceremony was not
covered by AIT, Channels, NTA, TVC, ITV, or even FM Youtube channels. Rather, a
very little-known Islamic TV channel called Al-Afrikiy was contracted to relay
an event organized by a whole Federal Government of Nigeria. It must be borne
in mind that Al-Afrikiy is not merely an Islamic-influenced learning TV
station, it is also an Islam-only TV channel. It broadcasts strictly religious
matters.”
The lawyer also wondered how the President, Major General
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) nominated Pantami in 2019 without considering his past
pro-Taliban stance.
“By the way, where was the DSS (Department of State Services
) which was supposed to screen Pantami before his name was sent to the Senate?
Why did it turn its focus away from these destructive extremist views of the
very Minister in charge of Nigerians’ information data, with unabridged access
to same, including NIM, BVN, biodatas, etc?
“What about our fawning rubber stamp “take-a-bow” Senate
that was supposed to do a very thorough screening of Pantami? Why did it simply
allow the Carmel to pass through the needle’s eye? When will it winnow out the
chaff from the real wheat? Why has it turned a sacred duty on behalf of
Nigerians into a “yes sir” party affair, which suggests that President Buhari
can do no wrong, or make any mistake?” he queried.
“Isa Pantami should resign, as Mrs Kemi Adeosun, former
Finance Minister, once did. Where he fails to do this, Buhari should
immediately relieve him of his ministerial position. His antecedents loudly
proclaim him as a clear and present danger to Nigeria’s asphyxiatingly fragile
unity, harmony and religious and ethnic tolerance,” Ozekhome concluded.
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