The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday faulted the Presidency for its recent statement in which it declared its support for the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami.
It said the statement by the Presidency has shown desperation to provide official cover to “a terrorism apologist”, alleging that such action confirmed the apprehensions that the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration was patronising acts of terrorism in the country.
“Nigerians were traumatised that the Presidency could mount a hopeless defence and justification for the actions of the exposed Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who had already confessed to supporting terrorist groups like al-Qaida and Taliban.
“It is instructive to note that this anti-people stance has heightened public anxiety that the Buhari Presidency is a haven for traitors who are providing support to acts of terrorist activities in our nation,” the party said in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.
It added, “Our party holds that this has further exposed why the Buhari Presidency has failed to decisively confront terrorism, as well as why terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and insurgents are emboldened to ravage our nation and massacre our compatriots.”
The PDP accused the Presidency of being insensitive to the fact that thousands of Nigerians have been killed and hundreds of communities devastated.
It insisted that Pantami must be relieved of his duties as a minister and handed over to the appropriate agency for “deradicalisation”.
According to the party, Pantami had denied his support to terrorist groups and only admitted after he was overwhelmed by evidence.
It stated that the minister belonged to the deradicalisation centre, and not in any way in the Federal Executive Council.
“This is in addition to allegations in the public space that the exposed minister had been compromising our national data, as well as the NIN registration exercise, wherein aliens and invaders from other countries were alleged to have been registered as our citizens.
“These are issues that our party insists must be investigated by the Department of State Services (DSS),” the PDP said.
It added, “As a party, the PDP charges President Muhammadu Buhari to reassure the citizens by immediately withdrawing the statement from his Presidency, relieve Isa Pantami of his position as minister, and take a bold step to flush out terrorist apologists from the Presidency.”
