Fayose blasts Buhari for defending Pantami

A former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has berated President Muhammadu Buhari for standing by Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, despite his antecedents as a terrorism apologist.

Nigerians have accused Mr Buhari for endorsing terrorism by ignoring calls to sack Mr Pantami since revelations of Mr Pantami’s support for Al-Qaeda and Taliban became public.

Recall that online newspaper had reported how Mr Pantami plotted to assassinate former Kaduna governor, Patrick Yakowa, how he sympathised with Boko Haram terrorists calling them his “Muslims brothers“, as well as plots to wipe away Christians in Northern states.

Garaba Shehu, presidential spokesman, on Friday, said unlike former finance minister, Kemi Adeosun, who resigned her job after she was busted for forging her NYSC certificate, Mr Buhari decided to retain Mr Pantami in his government because the government considers s forgery as a more serious crime compared to Mr Pantami’s extremist views and support for terrorism.

Mr Fayose, an opposition figure and critic of the Buhari regime, in a series of tweets on Sunday, however, said its ridiculous to have a government that endorses and supports terrorism while claiming that forgery is a bigger crime than terrorism.

“It is funny that today, if those running the affairs of the country are not telling us that armed bandits must be seen as innocent until proven guilty, they will be saying offence of forgery is more grievous than open declaration of support for terrorists,” Mr Fayose said.

He further states that the country is no longer safe because Mr Buhari has sympathy for bandits and terrorists.

“Because of their inability to take decisive actions against these terrorists that they appear to have sympathy for,” Mr Fayose said, “Nigeria is no longer safe for anyone to live in.”

For over a week now, Nigerians have called for the sack of Mr Pantami over his attachment to terrorist views.

However, Mr Buhari, who acknowledged the impropriety of Mr Pantami’s extremist views via Mr Shehu, said the minister is a victim of a “cancel campaign” engineered by those who want him sacked.

Fayose said that the current security situation in the country is enough for “President Muhammadu Buhari and his men to wear sackcloths and cover themselves with ashes, they are seen making merry as if nothing has happened.”

The former Governor also suggested to Nigerians to start restricting their movements in order to avoid falling victims to bandits and terrorists.

Fayose noted that at the moment, nowhere is safe, adding that terrorists have taken over the entire country.

Fayose said that the issue of Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami has further exposed the government’s hypocrisy and complicity.

“It is saddening and worrisome that spokesmen of the president were the ones going from one media house to another to defend someone who openly supported terrorists,” he said.

Fayose cried out that over 300 Nigerians have been killed across the country in the last three days with several others in captivity.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain lamented that people who were at one time or the other nominated as Boko Haram negotiator are governing the country.

He said those ruling Nigeria, particularly at the federal were acting as if the country is about the government and them, forgetting that the government is about the country and its people.

Fayose said with the killing of Nigerians from the North, South, East and West, it was certain that Nigerians must be impatient to send this APC government out in 2023.

“It is funny that today, if those running the affairs of the country are not telling us that armed bandits must be seen as innocent until proven guilty, they will be saying offence of forgery is more grievous than open declaration of support for terrorists.

“Because of their inability to take decisive actions against these terrorists that they appear to have sympathy for, Nigeria is no longer safe for anyone to live in.

“Our roads have been taken over by terrorists while Nigerians, including traditional rulers are now being abducted right inside their bedrooms,” the former Governor added.

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