The alleged terrorism link against Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami surfaced on floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, leaving the likelihood that the matter may be investigated.
At the commencement of plenary, Minority Leader of the House, Ndudi Elumelu raising an order of privilege, noted that since the allegation came public, and trending in both social and conventional media, he been inundated with calls by constituents, seeking what the House intended to do.
“A serving minister in this government was alleged to have links and personally subscribed to the beliefs of some terrorist groups. Recently during his Ramadan message, he owned up, but said he only did so out of ignorance.
“My worry is that I am a serving member of this house. Few days ago, I was inundated with calls from my constituents, who said this house has been talking so much on insecurity, yet not saying anything over such a weighty allegation against a serving minister. He should either resign, or be removed”, Elumelu stated.
According to him, his privilege as a member has been affected, and that he was not comfortable that the House would not say anything.
Responding however, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila reminded him that he came under the wrong order, but that even at that; “your observations have been noted.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Yusuf Gagdi, has absolved the National Assembly, and the Department of State Services (DSS) of blames for not spotting such antecedence of the minister during his screening.
Addressing journalists covering the House on Wednesday, the lawmaker said; “I would not say that DSS and the National Assembly acted in in error. The National Assembly and DSS are not God. You will never get every information about every individual during confirmation. Because the DSS is not God. You don’t have the capacity to know everything about me. So it is when the DSS know that they recommended. And it is equally what the National Assembly saw that they recommended”, he said.
