Those exposing my extremist views are evil doers: Pantami

Minister Isa Pantami has described those unearthing his past extremist views as evil doers.

Mr Pantami, whose ordeal began after he was wrongly reported to being spied on by the United States of America, has been asked to resign over past extremist views which he validated but claimed were made while he was immature.

He was caught on camera declaring support for terrorists, saying Boko Haram terrorists were being eliminated unjustly by the Jonathan administration. The embattled minister in one of his radical remarks also said he was always happy whenever non-muslims are killed.

The presidency came out to support the minister saying by renouncing his radical remarks he has repented and that is enough, dismissing calls for his sack.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Uwa Suleiman, Pantami said he will not sit and watch his hard-earned reputation as an Islamic scholar being destroyed in a new plot he said his detractors were plotting.

“We are in receipt of credible intelligence that the same forces who have been championing a well-coordinated and richly funded campaign against the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, are now unto the next stage of their diabolic project,” Mrs Suleiman said.

“This time around, the forces of evil are shopping for willing partners as well as their usual avenues, to release doctored videos purporting to show the Honourable Minister in an alleged compromising condition, as a way of creating injury on his image.

“We are least surprised by this recent move which is a clear intensification of their desperation, having failed in their assault on the personality of the Honourable Minister, despite their previous efforts.

“After concocting lies and half-truths linking the Honourable Minister with terrorism, despite his well-documented stance against Boko Haram and similar groups, these adversaries went to the extent of doctoring a document with capacity to endanger national security.

“It was a relief for peace-loving Nigerians that the gimmick also failed to strike that sensitive chord. This notice therefore is to alert the public to the latest ungodly plan and to warn the perpetrators about the consequences of such action.

“The Honourable Minister will not sit idly to see his hard-earned reputation as a respected community leader, Islamic Scholar and public servant being muddled in the mud by paid agents with no adherence to truth and fear of God,” she added.