Former aide to ex-Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, Comrade Affan Buba Abuya, has publicly criticised his former principal, accusing him of lacking communication and interpersonal skills needed for politics.
In a 44-minute video shared on his Facebook account, Abuya alleged that Pantami often ignored calls and visit requests from prominent political, traditional and religious leaders, a trait he said could become a major challenge as the former minister pursues a political career.
According to Abuya, who said he served as Pantami’s aide from his days as Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) through his tenure as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, he had repeatedly advised him to improve his relationship with key stakeholders.
“I warned him about a time like this when he would join politics,” Abuya said in the video.
He alleged that Pantami frequently failed to respond to calls or grant audience to influential personalities, including the Emir of Gombe, the Governor of Gombe State and former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff.
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Abuya further claimed that several religious leaders also found it difficult to gain access to the former minister.
According to him, while such an approach may not have significantly affected Pantami during his time as a technocrat and public servant, it could prove costly in partisan politics, where consultation, accessibility and relationship-building are considered essential.
The former aide argued that political leadership requires continuous engagement with stakeholders and respect for established leaders across political, traditional and religious institutions.
His comments come amid growing political discussions surrounding Pantami’s reported interest in contesting the Gombe State governorship in the 2027 general elections.
Neither Pantami nor his representatives had publicly responded to Abuya’s claims as of the time of filing this report.
The allegations remain those of the former aide and have not been independently verified.
