Pantami: Your Claim Is ‘Dumb’ – Reps Minority Caucus Slams Spokesman, Insists On Minister’s Resignation

The call for resignation or sacking of Communications Minister, Isa Pantami, over his alleged support for terrorist groups has further unsettled the House of Representatives.

This comes as the House minority caucus has accused the Committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, of executing a “sinister intention” to frustrate the country’s fight against terrorism.

The minority caucus was reacting to Kalu’s claim on Thursday that its leader, Hon Ndudi Elumelu, had ignored the rules of the House in moving a motion to demand the resignation or sacking of Pantami over his past open support for activities of Al-Qaeda and Taliban Islamic terrorist sects.

Kalu had reportedly claimed that Elumelu’s motion was moved under “legislative privilege” and as a result could not be debated on the floor of the House.

But reacting on Friday, the minority caucus accused Kalu of engaging in personal attack on Elumelu, “instead of standing with Nigerians at this critical moment”.

It accused the spokesperson of disparaging its leader, “for pointing to the dangers of retaining in office, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, after reports of the minister’s support for terrorists came to the fore,” adding, “This is especially after the minister himself admitted to the facts of his sympathy for violent, extremist and terrorist groups, including, the al-Qaida and Taliban.”

Speaking in a statement by its spokesperson, Hon. Francis Ottah Agbo, the minority caucus said, “Indeed, Hon. Kalu’s claim that our Minority Leader did not properly present his motion, under an appropriate rule is completely dumb, frivolous and exposes his poor knowledge of the legislative procedures. It also points to a deliberate scheme to jeopardize our nation’s fight against terrorism.”

The minority caucus said its leader was well versed on standing rules and parliamentary convention of the House, hence cannot be tutored by Kalu.

“It is instructive to state that the motion by the Minority Leader calling for the resignation or sack of the Minister by President Muhammadu Buhari was properly presented under the House rules as provided in Order 6: 1,2&3 (Privileges), contrary to claims by Hon. Kalu.

“Order 6:1,2,3 clearly and generously provide for full debate on the issue brought pursuant to it.

“For the avoidance of doubt, while sub-section 2 of the Order 6 provides that “whenever a matter of privilege arises, it shall be taken into consideration immediately”, sub section 3 is clear in providing that whenever a matter of privilege arises, it shall be disposed of and no other issue shall be considered until “the debate on a motion thereon” is adjourned….”.

The minority caucus also clarified that the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, did not rule Elumelu out of order when he moved the motion for Pantami’s resignation, contrary to media reports.

It said Gbajabiamila rather accepted the motion and announced that the issues raised had been noted.

The statement further reads: “It is therefore completely irresponsible for anybody, let alone the spokesperson of the House, who should be abreast of the Rules, to state that the Minority Leader ought to have known better than coming under Order 6.

“His statement is therefore in bad faith and should be disregarded and withdrawn by him immediately.

“Our Caucus will not condone any unwarranted attack on any of our colleagues, let alone the Minority Leader, who is doing very well by speaking the mind of the silent majority of Nigerians, who have no platforms to speak out.

“In any case, we are aware that Hon. Kalu was not in Plenary when the motion was moved. We expected him to have consulted the Rule book before attacking the Minority Leader. For we believe if he had done that, he would have saved the 9th House of Representatives the embarrassment his statement has caused!

“We therefore demand that Hon. Kalu should withdraw his statement and tender an unreserved apology to the Minority Leader and Nigerians for misrepresenting the rules of the House.

“Our caucus, standing with millions of Nigerians, also demands that the Speaker should immediately act on the prayers of the motion, by conveying same as the position of the House to Mr. President, having accepted the appropriateness of the procedure and taken legislative note of the prayers therein.

“As a caucus, we stand behind the Minority Leader in insisting that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, should resign or be removed by President Muhammadu Buhari, as his continued stay in office poses great threat to our national security.

“Insecurity is blind to creed and party colourations and this underscores why the Caucus will resist any attempt by anyone to politicize a clear existential threat to our motherland!”