Embattled Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami
The leadership of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) has joined the rest of those shocked that the Federal Government of Nigeria led by Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressive Congress Party (APC) are defending Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami who is seriously linked to Boko Haram and Al al-Qaeda.
The Church wants the FG to relieve him of his appointment if he fails to resign as failure to do so shows President Muhammadu Buhari government is complicit in the divisive propaganda of dangerous elements of the society as well as the murderous activities of rampaging terrorists who are holding Nigeria to ransom and killing members of the Nigeria armed forces in their hundreds.
ECWA President, Rev. Stephen Panya while reading the communique issued at the end of the Church’s 68th General Church Council, GCC in Jos on Friday said the Minister Isa Pantami should also be thoroughly investigated and, in the event, he is found guilty, be prosecuted in line with the laws of the nation.
He said among other things, “The Council observes the serious nature of the allegations leveled against Nigeria’s current Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, the verity of which allegations he has affirmed, but is quick to excuse himself, pleading immaturity and limited knowledge for his support for terrorism at the time.
“We join other well-meaning Nigerians and corporate citizens like Human Rights Writers’ Association (HURIWA), Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to demand his resignation as a member of the Federal Executive Council. Where he fails to resign voluntarily, we would expect President Buhari to relieve him of his ministerial position.
“We equally add our voice to the demand that the allegations against Dr. Pantami be thoroughly investigated by relevant security agencies and if indicted, he should be prosecuted in accordance with the relevant laws of the Federation. This will rekindle the faith of the citizenry in the Nigerian project and assure them that there are no sacred cows in Buhari’s cabinet. Failure to do that will make the Buhari government complicit in the divisive propaganda of dangerous elements of the society as well as the murderous activities of rampaging terrorists.”
The cleric added that “Furthermore, inaction on this might inadvertently imply that President Buhari prefers the enemies of the nation over its citizens and cares little about the sanctity of the constitution he swore to abide by.”
On the economy of the nation, the President noted “We observe with dismay the interminable flippant borrowing that has become characteristic of the present government of the Federation, without proper accountability for those already taken. “The Council questions the rationale for the continuous taking of loans despite the absence of any tangible evidence of the positive impact of previous loans on the socio-economic lives of the citizens.
“We, therefore, call on the government to focus on creating the enabling environment for adequate harnessing and effective utilization of available resources that God has endowed the nation with for wealth creation, instead of the quick resort to foreign loans, thereby mortgaging the future of many generations of our children.”
The Church called for the immediate release of 15 Village Heads and youth leaders detained without trial as well as the release of all people abducted by terrorists especially Leah Sharibu, Grace Lukas, Alice Loksha, Lilian Gyang, Pastor Lawrence Zongo, the remaining Chibok girls, and the students from the various institutions.
Until now, most security analysts and Nigerians at home and in the diaspora have continued to wonder how high-profile security meetings held at the Nigeria’s Presidential Villa where top strategies of how to engage the terrorists leak ahead of the plan, which has led to series of ambush on Nigeria military convoys where scores of officers and men have lost their lives. Nigerians have also continued to ponder how Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen have continued to wreak havoc across the country freely and with no resistance from the state.
