Supporters of the minister of communications and digital economy Isa Pantami have come up with a counter-hashtag #PantamiWillStay to push over one started by his critics #PantamiResign over alleged links to terrorists.
Pantami has been facing backlash on social media for some days following allegations of sharing values with terrotist organisations due to past comments.
Pantami, an Islamic scholar, according to Peoples Gazette, once declared that he was always happy when infidels were massacred.
The online newspaper said Pantami’s comments were contained in three audio recordings of his teachings in the 2000s, when he took extreme positions in support of the brutal exploits of Al Qaeda and Taliban elements on a campaign to obliterate the West and conquer other parts of the world.
The minister however insists his comments were misconstrued.
“I have never condoned terrorism and I reject any affiliation to terror groups. I have long preached peaceful coexistence amongst people of every faith and ethnicity,” he told the newspaper on Friday.
See tweets by his supporters below:
