Pantami Breaks Silence on Buhari's Political Counsel
Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali-Pantami, has publicly revealed that the late President Muhammadu Buhari once advised him to refrain from active participation in Gombe State politics. This disclosure was made during a visit to the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Secretariat in Gombe, where Pantami revalidated his party membership, as reported by PUNCH.
Presidential Advice for Political Harmony
Pantami explained that President Buhari's counsel was delivered during the first term of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya. The former minister emphasized that the advice was specifically aimed at ensuring harmony and a cordial working relationship within the state's political leadership. According to Pantami, this guidance played a crucial role in maintaining mutual respect and understanding between himself and the governor throughout his tenure.
"Since then, my relationship with Governor Inuwa Yahaya has remained cordial. There has never been any disagreement or misunderstanding between us up to this moment," Pantami stated during his address at the APC secretariat. He further elaborated that Buhari's intervention was intended to preserve unity and stability in Gombe's political landscape, preventing potential conflicts that could arise from direct involvement.
Clarifying Political Engagement and Party Loyalty
Addressing questions about his political participation, Pantami stressed that his involvement in politics did not begin recently. He revealed that he has been engaged in political discussions and activities since 2001, drawing an analogy to the security sector to explain different forms of political engagement.
"Politics, like the security sector, has two dimensions: those who wear uniforms and those who do not. Just as in the security system where agencies such as the DSS and the NIA operate without uniforms, political engagement can also take place without being publicly visible. At that time, we belonged to those who do not wear uniforms," Pantami explained.
The former minister described the APC as a party he helped nurture, recalling his participation in early discussions that led to the merger of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which eventually formed the APC.
APC Leaders Address Loyalty Concerns
Pantami's return to the APC Secretariat in Gombe prompted party leaders to address past doubts about his loyalty. APC Organising Secretary, Ibrahim Packers, acknowledged that the party had previously questioned Pantami's commitment, especially after many of his close aides defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
"You have not been frequent at the party and at a point in time your commitment to the party was questioned because most of your loyalists left for the ADC. This was because they claimed that it was his instruction (Pantami's) that they should go before he comes. So we concluded that he was neither here nor there until his visit today," Packers stated.
Pantami's public revalidation of his APC membership and his explanation of Buhari's advice appear to have reassured party leaders about his continued allegiance to the ruling party.
Broader Implications for Political Strategy
This revelation sheds light on the strategic political maneuvering that often occurs behind the scenes in Nigerian politics. Buhari's advice to Pantami highlights how senior political figures sometimes counsel junior colleagues to avoid direct involvement in local politics to prevent divisions and maintain broader party cohesion.
The situation in Gombe State serves as a case study in political diplomacy, where calculated distance from active politicking can foster unity and prevent conflicts that might otherwise destabilize party structures at the state level.
Pantami's disclosure comes at a time when political alignments are being reassessed ahead of future electoral cycles, making his reaffirmation of loyalty to the APC particularly significant for the party's internal dynamics in Gombe State and potentially beyond.
