Digital economy and communications minister, Isa Pantami, in time past criticised Islamic cleric who went into politics.
Before being appointed into the position by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, Mr Pantami was an Islamic cleric who berated public service, an old video clip trending on social media shows.
Before becoming a minister, he previously exclaimed being happy whenever Christians and non-muslims are killed, an indication that he is a Muslim fundamentalist who shares same ideology with Boko Haram terrorists group. The trending clip has now portrayed him as a hypocrite.
“You know I don’t like talking about politics,” the minister who spoke in local dialect said in the forty-three seconds clip published by Peoples Gazette. “I am not a politician. I have never been into politics.
“I have never been to any political meeting. I am not among those clerics that held any political office. I only get myself involved with meetings that have to do with Allah’s work. I have never been into politics and I don’t intend to participate in politics.”
He also asked series of questions to which his audience answered in the negative.
“Poor people (masses) do we like the way and manner they (politicians) are practicing religion? Poor people the rate at which clerics are joining politics to gain political appointments is that how we want to practice religion?
“Do you want them to give clerics political money to share? Do you want them to stop clerics from reading the Quran?” he queried.
Despite his opposition to public service, Mr Pantami did not reject the offer to serve as a minister. He has been at the forefront ensuring compliance in the ongoing exercise of linking the National Identity Number (NIN) to Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards nationwide.
