Nigerians on social media have called for the resignation of the Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, over alleged link with terrorist groups, Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
Nigerians on Twitter have trended the hashtag #PantamiResign making 29,000 tweets and retweets. The users protested that the data of Nigerians cannot be entrusted with the Minister, especially the National Identification Numbers.
Ayo-Bankole Akintujoye tweeted “If Isa Pantami does not resign, then the resignation of Kemi Adeosun was a huge joke. What is sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander, except she was slaughtered on the altar of bigotry and ‘cabalisation’ of Nigerian politics.”
@royaltyuso said “Yes, #PantamiResign. But what if he leaves with all your data? You are still not safe! Access controls must be put in place immediately, and a full sweep of sensitive citizens data done to ensure they aren’t being cloned or backed up somewhere asides from where they should be.”
@YemieFash tweeted “A terrorist apologist is not worthy of being a government official. #PantamiResign”
@GodwinOjas said “the nonsense minister rushed to tweet when the news broke out but now that evidence are flying everywhere he disappeared from the timeline. Even permitting SIM registration and all to resume will not stop this call to resign because even this SIM policy was a useless one.”
“This Pantami issue is far more serious than we treat it to be. I had this nightmare last night where Boko Haram had the data and location details of every single Nigerian, including the president. Pantami has to resign and answer the law. We’re in danger!! #PantamiResign,” @MOMPERE55 said.
@MayUbeku tweeted “Small fire on Pantami, he wants to bribe us with SIMs registration. Naah. We want you to resign. Your action on compulsory NIN during the peak of the pandemic made many citizens contract COVID and your Jihadist affiliation is a threat to Nigeria as a secular state. #PantamiResign”
“I will not join you people and have that ‘it was in the past’ conversation, because it’s same as arguing ‘if a repented Boko Haram member can become a minister?’ Terrorism is not a drinking habit you drop in the past; Pantami should resign immediately. #PantamiResign,” @chosensomto said.
