No Motion on Pantami was Shut down, House Clarifies

* Minister hasn’t changed, says Ozekhome

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives yesterday said there was no time at its Wednesday’s plenary that a motion calling for the resignation of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, was treated or shut down.

This is coming as human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said Pantami remained unfit to oversee critical digital and telecommunications agencies of government because “his antecedents are quite worrisome”.

At the plenary yesterday, Hon. Ahmed Jaha from Borno State, said the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila did not shut down a motion brought by the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Godwin Elumelu, on Pantami.

Jaha, who came under Order 6, Rule 1 and 2 of the Standing Orders of the House, which border on matters of privilege of the individual lawmakers, the same order cited by Elumelu on Wednesday, said what happened was misrepresented.

He explained, “I woke up early in the morning today to have my Sahur and came across media publications that this House took a position and refused or stopped the Minority Leader from bringing a matter for the removal of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy.

“He said his privilege was breached because as someone that was in the chamber on Wednesday, there was no motion that was blocked by the Speaker, who presided over the day’s plenary.

“From what happened, this House did not stop any such move. What I know is that the presiding officer only said the order cited was wrong and that the Minority Leader can come through the right order.

“There was no point where this presiding officer stopped the motion (calling) for removal of the minister.”

He said the issue of insecurity was a very serious one, noting that, “The interest of the nation is above any individual interest.”

Before ruling on the matter, Speaker Gbajabiamila said as Jaha rightly observed, Ndudi Elumelu came under Order 6, which dealt with matters of privilege.

“As provided for in our rules, matters that come under privilege are not debated. They are not motions. They are not seconded as a motion should”.

Meanwhile, Ozekhome said yesterday that Pantami had not changed, pointing out that it contracted Islamic TV to cover a recent federal government’s event.

Ozekhome, in a statement titled, ‘Isa Patami: The Leopard And Its Unchanging Spots’, said though the communications minister recently renounced his radical pro-Taliban comments, he hasn’t really changed as a “fanatic, fundamentalist and supporter of extremist Islamic sects”.

“Has he really changed? What has changed? Can a leopard ever change its spots? Ozekhome asked.

The senior lawyer alleged that last month, Pantami contracted an Islamic TV to cover a federal government’s event.

He said, “In saner climes, Pantami should have resigned immediately without more; or be sacked forthwith. Lifting the veil off his purported transformation or assumed transfiguration is so easy when viewed against the background of his new acts even as Minister.

“Only recently, On March 22, 2021, Pantami’s Ministry hosted a virtual flag-off ceremony for a capacity development programme empowering 600 people with VSAT Installation Skills. Pantami himself was present and he even spoke at the event. It was a Virtual Flag-off Capacity Development Programme on VSAT Installation Skills and TVRO Systems for 600 youths by Pantami.

“The ceremony was not covered by AIT, Channels, NTA, TVC, ITV, or even FM Youtube channels. Rather, a very little-known Islamic TV channel called Al-Afrikiy was contracted to relay an event organised by a whole Federal Government of Nigeria. It must be borne in mind that Al-Afrikiy is not merely an Islamic-influenced learning TV station, it is also an Islam-only TV channel. It broadcasts strictly religious matters.”