Former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, has come under heavy criticism on social media for not lending his voice to the raging debate on the extremist views and support for terrorism propagated by communications minister Isa Pantami.

Mr Abubakar, known for swiftly weighing in on issues of national interest has since been silent on Mr Pantami’s radical preaching and ties with terrorist groups.

Though the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has registered it’s opposition to Mr Pantami’s continuous stay in office, many of the party’s leading lights, particularly from the North, including Mr Abubakar who was the party’s presidential candidate in the 2019 elections, have kept a studied silence on the most sensitive matter.

Sokoto governor and chairman of the PDP governors forum, Aminu Tambuwal, governors Zamfara, Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba, Benue and even former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso have all looked away from the grievous allegations.

Nyesom Wike, Rivers State governor, has, however, been the lone opposition voice to publicly lambast the Aso Villa for shielding Mr Pantami despite overwhelming evidence of his ties with terrorism.

The presidency on Thursday insisted that Mr Pantami’s past utterances and actions were not sufficient enough to ease him out of office claiming the minister was immature when he declared his support for terrorist organisations al-Queda and the Taliban

Commenters say these top opposition figures are sacrificing matters of national importance for political and religious expediency.

While many expected Mr Abubakar to wade into the issue, he rather expressed his sadness over the death of three abducted students of Greenfield University, Kaduna.

In a tweet on his official page on Saturday, the politician wrote “Heartbreaking to learn of the killing of 3 of the abducted students of Greenfield University, Kaduna,” questioning how long the country will “continue to lose precious souls.

“It is time states are granted constitutional roles in the management of security,” Mr Abubakar further said.

Reacting, some of his followers on the micro-blogging platform slammed him for ignoring condemnations of the minister’s support for terrorism.

“The root cause of the issue you are lamenting about, has been making waves for days, where did you drop your voice then?” one of his followers, @FS Yusuf queried, demanding that he saved Nigerians “that theoretical lamentation.”

Also, another user identified as @Ose_anenih wrote “swallow your heartbreak. The deaths of these students were sealed by the germination of seeds planted by characters like Pantami You cannot publicly mourn the symptom but be silent about the disease. You cannot, Oga Better to unlook completely & tweet about Arsenal’s woes.”