The Christian Association of Nigeria has suspended its Gombe State Caretaker chairman, Rev. Sunday Congo, for writing a congratulatory letter to the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, without the approval of the association’s National Executive Committee.
CAN State Secretary in Gombe, Apostle John Adedigba, had written a now-viral letter on behalf of all the members of the caretaker committee congratulating Pantami on his recent reported “promotion to the rank of a Professor of Cyber Security” by the Governing Council of Federal Univerity of Technology, Owerri.
Many scholars and academics had contested the promotion, saying Pantami was never a lecturer at the university in Imo and could not have been bestowed with such academic rank earned by dint of hard work for consistent years of research on the field and in the classroom.
Pantami, who was appointed as minister in August 2019, is the only member of the Federal Executive Council from Gombe State.
In the letter attributed to the Gombe CAN branch dated September 6, 2021, the caretaker committee members had said they were “proud” of Pantami as a “son”.
However, in a letter by CAN General Secretary, Joseph Daramola, dated September 15 2021, titled: ‘Letter of Suspension’, addressed to CAN caretaker committee chairman in Gombe, the national body of the Christian association said the congratulatory letter was issued without the consent of the mother body.
Daramola’s letter said, “Following the recent publications of your congratulatory message to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, we write to inform you that your action has generated a lot of concerns amongst members of the Christian Association of Nigeria.
“This action of yours in publishing and release made on behalf of the association is tantamount to unilateral decision of you and overzealousness on your part, which was done without authorization and clearance.
“It is not only provocative but undermines the CAN NEC executive. It does not in any way represent their position. In view of the above, you are hereby directed to relinquish your position in Gombe CAN executive with immediate effect and hand over all CAN’s property to your next in line in your bloc.
“In future, you are advised to consult and get approval from the authority of CAN national level so we all may speak with one voice.”
Also in a chat with The PUNCH on Thursday, Daramola said CAN had at several times congratulated Muslims collectively and individually, noting that the suspension of the Gombe caretaker chair was not a religious affair but out of the need to enforce discipline within the hierarchies of CAN.
Asked how long Congo’s suspension would last, Daramola said it might last for one day or any duration the NEC deemed.
Earlier in 2021, Pantami had been excoriated for his past controversial pro-Taliban comments.
In one of his sermons in the 2000s, Pantami had reportedly prayed, saying, “This jihad is an obligation for every single believer, especially in Nigeria… Oh God, give victory to the Taliban and to al-Qaeda.”
The minister later recanted in April, saying he now knows better.
Many Nigerians called for Pantami’s sacking or resignation but the Buhari regime exonerated the minister, saying that he should be forgiven because he made the statements at a much younger age.
