Pantami renounces past controversial comments on terrorists as calls for his resignation thickens

Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Ali Isa Pantami, who was under attack over his controversial comments on Al Qaeda and Taliban in the past has renounced those comments saying he now has a better understanding of the issues involved.

This was even as he said his attacks by a section of the media was politically motivated.

Recall, social media users and some pundits have called for Pantami’s resignation over his comments.

However, during his daily Ramadan lecture at Al-Noor Mosque in Abuja on Saturday, the minister said he now knows better about some of the comments he made in the past.

“For 15 years, I have moved around the country while educating people about the dangers of terrorism. I have travelled to Katsina, Gombe, Borno, Kano states and Difa in the Niger Republic to preach against terrorism.

“I have engaged those with Boko Haram ideologies in different places. I have been writing pamphlets in Hausa, English and Arabic.

“I have managed to bring back several young persons who have derailed from the right path.

“Some of the comments I made some years ago that are generating controversies now were based on my understanding of religious issues at the time, and I have changed several positions taken in the past based on new evidence and maturity.

“I was young when I made some of the comments; I was in university, some of the comments were made when I was a teenager.

“I started preaching when I was 13, many scholars and individuals did not understand some of the international events and therefore took some positions based on their understanding, some have come to change their positions later.”

The embattled Pantami has been facing the heat over his alleged link with terrorist groups with many Nigerians calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the minister.

The Nigerian Twitter community also said it was risky to trust the Minister with data of Nigerians, especially with the ongoing National Identification Number and Subscriber Identity Module integration exercise und