Those who are calling for the resignation or sacking of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, over his past extremist comments are in for a huge disappointment.
This is because the Presidency has defended Pantami over his views supporting terrorist organisations, such as Al-Qaeda and Taliban, during his days as university undergraduate.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, described as unfortunate the public discourse that holds leaders liable for what they said or did in the past.
Shehu noted in a statement that Isa Pantani is currently a subject of what he described as a “cancel campaign”, which he said was instigated by those who seek his removal.
He said such persons do not really care what he may or may not have said some twenty years ago, which they are merely using as an instrument to attempt to “cancel” him.
The Presidential spokesman is of the view with that those behind the campaign would profit is Pantami is stopped from making decisions that improve the lives of everyday Nigerians.
He noted that the Minister was in his twenties when he made the controversial extremist comments in the 2000s, adding that after so many years after, people and their opinions often rightly change.