The lies Abike Dabiri-Erewa told against me, Pantami breaks silence over NIDCOM eviction saga

*You disrespected me because I’m a woman, ‘Madam Diaspora’, Abike, replies Pantami as NIDCOM replies NCC

Following allegations by Abike Dabiri-Erewa that Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, ordered armed men to evict her Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) out of its accommodation in Abuja, the other side to the story has been given revealing “a fat lie” that, according to the Minister, the NIDCOM chairman told.

The latest came just as watchers of events asked to know if Dabiri-Erewa, who is also part of the government, no longer has direct access to communicating with a minister in the administration that the best option for her was exposing what should ordinarily be discussed in-house to the media.

Isa Pantami, an ICT expert that is also an Islamic scholar and preacher appointed into the Muhammadu Buhari anti-indecency cabinet, when he finally decided to react to the serious allegations that he sent armed men to throw out NIDCOM from an office complex given to it by the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), said neither did he send armed men to anywhere nor possessed anything of such.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chief executive officer of NIDCOM, had alleged that her staff were denied access to the complex on the orders of Pantami.

Dabiri-Erewa said staff were not even allowed to take their property after armed men sealed the office.

But when the of Pantami was sought, he spoke through Yusuf Ribadu, his media aide, referring to NCC’s statement on the issue.

The NCC, which is under Pantami’s ministry, had denied that NIDCOM was sent packing, TheCable report says.

The communication commission also said Dabiri-Erewa did not take ownership of the offices after she was offered a floor in the complex and that NIDCOM’s properties are safely warehoused.

In a tweet on Sunday, the minister described NIDCOM CEO’s allegation as “a big fat lie”.

“THIS IS A FAT LIE FROM HER: The owner of the building @NgComCommission has faulted her lies on their social media platforms. The minister has never given that directives to any gunman. We need to be very objective in reporting. I have never sent any gunmen there, and I have no one,” the minister tweeted.

But Dabiri-Erewa, called Madam Diaspora by some people, still lashed at the Minister by replying him in a tweet also on Sunday saying Pantami as an Islamic scholar should not lie and that the only reason he used force on her was because he disrespected her being a woman.

“An Islamic scholar should not lie Hon Minister. (Ph.D) You did that to me cos I am a woman. Your disrespect for women is legendary Left the ugly incident behind me since Feb. But pls release all our office equipment. Public office is transient. @DrIsaPantami.” Dabiri-Erewa said.

Meanwhile, NIDCOM in a statement on Sunday, responded to the NCC.

The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement signed by Dr Henry Nkemadu, Director of Public Affairs of Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) on Sunday May 24, 2020 describing the forcing out of the staff of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) from the occupied fifth floor of NCC Annex Mbora as mere ‘allegation’.

“The fact of the matter is that the said fifth floor was allocated to NIDCOM by NCC Management since June 2019 and handed over by Mrs Maryam Bayi, its Director Human Resources.

“But due to lack of basic facilities in the complex, NIDCOM staff could not move in gradually until October 2019.

“But while our Chairman/CEO Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa was on official assignment with Mr President in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, on the 9th of February, the staff were given one week by the Hon. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Ali Pantami to pack out but within 48 hours of the said quit notice, they were forcefully evicted by security operatives attached to the complex on the orders of the Minister on February 11.

“On the allegation that NIDCOM did not move into the offices when allocated, this is untrue, false accusation and contradictory to the statement of NCC to the effect that NIDCOM properties were warehoused and intact in the annex.”

NIDCOM said its offices were broken into and “all items including 140 work stations, personal computers, printers, sensitive documents and personal belongings of staff were carted away.”

The statement continued: “It is our humble opinion that an agency of government ought not to be shabbily treated in a dehumanising manner.

“The Hon. Minister, should have acknowledged the fact that the aim of NIDCOM for using the office spaces was not for personal functions but rather for governmental functions with regards to Diaspora engagements.

“The Hon. Minister should have seen the need to give the Chairman of the Commission audience so as to let the Commission staff evacuate their belongings by themselves rather than breaking into the offices without their consent.

“The Commission still has no access to all equipment, furniture and other items carted away on the instructions of the Minister.

“However, the commission has since moved on, and put the ugly incident behind it as it looks forward to settling into any available office space after the COVID-19 lockdown.”