CSO Asks Buhari To Investigate Pantami’s Alleged Purchasing Of Houses

A pro-democracy civil society organisation, African Leadership Strategy and Transparency Development Initiative has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to thoroughly investigate the recent allegation levelled against the Minister of Communications & Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami on procuring three houses within the period of his assumption of office.
The group’s Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Ossaieze made the call in a press conference held Thursday in Abuja. He stressed that the fight against corruption by the current administration will be undermined if an allegation of such magnitude was not investigated.
It will be recalled that Pantami was recently accused to have bought three houses in Abuja within the period of assuming office as a minister by an online news website.
Ossaieze, also told journalists that the group has vowed not to sit back and watch corrupt government officials go free; hence, will be holding an anti-corruption rally next week Tuesday to raise more awareness.
He urged President Buhari not to treat Pantami’s allegation with kids glove, urging that the presidential committee currently investigating sacked Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crime Commission, Ibrahim Magu, should as well investigate Pantami right from when he was a Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
“We cannot fold our arms and watch a minister allegedly get rich overnight without proper investigation by relevant agencies or the presidential panel.
“As pro-democratic organisation, we have vowed to uphold our core mandate which is ensuring that probity, accountability and good governance becomes part and parcel of our dear country.
“What is playing out today is not far from what has happened with Ibrahim Magu and we are of the believe that Pantami’s case would not be different if properly investigated. Mr President must quickly refer this matter to the presidential panel without further delay.
“President Buhari must not allow officials with questionable character to drag his hard earned integrity to the mud, as far as we are concerned Pantami can be another Magu in the current administration. We also maintain that if Pantami is found culpable of the allegation, then the appropriate punishment must be meted out to him to serve as a deterrent,” Ossaieze stressed.
However, Pantami had described the allegations of buying houses as mischievous, noting that one of the apartments in the images published is one which has occupied since January 2017, more than two years before becoming a minister, while the other one is a house he rented since 17th December 2019.